Manual trackback, to a different take...
Toodle Pip!
C
And the link. Doh
It certainly is serious when the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales thinks that "the Judiciary" is a plural and writes "the Judiciary consider" rather than "the Judiciary considers" - I might be an old pedant, but there ARE standards, and Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers has fallen below them!
'the Lord Chief Justice sends this message (issued today) to the whole of the judiciary'
Sends it where and by what means? I have seen no such message.
And the grammar made me flinch too, Mailhater.
I got it on email from the Judicial Communications Office. You have to register to get their regular output, which is very good and useful. Just type JCO into Google, and follow the links.
Can judges strike?
Would they?
I am not sure whether this particular letter was intended for the public or just those with access to the Judicial Intranet? Nevertheless, there is no secret about the concerns and the concerns are considerable.
Lord Phillips expressed disquiet as did his predecessor Lord Woolf. They have been set out in the "serious" press. One of the main concerns was whether the finances for the courts would be "ring fenced" so that the new Ministry of Justice does not spend most of it on the Prisons. Also, Lord Justice Thomas has stated his reservations to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee in Parliament. There is a possible major issue here regarding judicial independence.
As I said on a post on this blog earlier this week, the whole process was about saving the political hide of Dr. Reid who, having hurriedly dismantled the Home Office has now announced that he will leave the government if and when Mr. Blair finally departs.
The new Ministry website is now up and running - a google search will reveal it!
Peter, the statement is intended for all. The Judicial Communications Office website says it has been released to the media and helpfully provides a Welsh language version too.
Bystander - Quite right and thanks. Everything can be read on the House of Lords Constitution Committee website. Here is the link - though I don't know how to make it an active link. Cut and paste should do it!
http://www.parliament.uk/
parliam...n_committee.cfm
Hmm - initial response is one of disgust. Why? Apart from the constitutional concerns being aired at the moment, the HMCS - the sharp end of the courts' operations - was already facing an 8% budget cut before this next round of undoubtedly expensive organisational change hits us.
Why can’t we simply be properly resourced and left alone to do our job, especially as we are just in year two of our integration? From my observation, staff morale at my court is at an all time low.
Oh – and putting Prisons and Immigration in two separate Ministries - when the lack of communication between the two kicked this whole thing off (cost the last HS his job) is just peachy.
The Ministry of Justice eh? How soon will it be followed by a 'Ministry of Peace' or a 'Ministry of Truth'. This could prove doubleplusungood if you'll forgive the Orwellism.
Regards
Bill
I caught Lord Falconer last night on some news programme stating that suspended sentances will only be used for extremely serious cases - the impression I formed was those heard in Crown Court - is this yet another way of avoiding overcrowding in prisons? He stated categorically and emphatically many times over that the entire Government was in favour of this - has anyone any more information?
Yes, it's a desperate attempt to pull down prison numbers without upsetting the Sun.
Isn't this Treason ?.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/865
http://balder.org/avisartikler/O...h-
Rasmussen.php
http://www.westernresistance.com...ves/
003027.html
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