While some might see the MoJ response to the justice select committee on personal injury reform as a stay of execution, it only served to highlight the government’s single-minded approach. The language of the response suggests the government sees this as a done deal, and any further debate of substance in the Commons seems unlikely.

The government can throw out statements such as wishing to ‘ensure that the system is easy to use for all user groups and that the guidance is clear’ and that it is ‘crucial that these reforms and the implementation of the online platform is done right rather than quickly’. However, if they truly stood behind statements such as this, we wouldn’t be where we are now.

Qamar Anwar, managing director, First4Lawyers, Huddersfield

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