Former victims’ commissioner Vera Baird was today accused of disrespect to an MP opposed to the government’s proposed curbs to jury trials in a tetchy exchange during parliamentary scrutiny of the Courts and Tribunals Bill.
Appearing before a House of Commons bill committee this morning, Baird highlighted ‘brilliant’ Labour MP Charlotte Nichols’ powerful testimony in the Commons chamber earlier this month, when Nichols revealed that she had been raped at a work event and her case took 1,088 days to reach court.
Committee member Kieran Mullan MP asked Baird if she accepted ‘that Charlotte has said that using the voice of victims to advocate purely for reforms as if all victims agree with that is wrong, that she’s opposed to the reforms.’
Baird replied: ‘Yeah, but she’s on her own, and she’s made such a damn good case.' Mullan could be heard saying ‘oh dear, oh dear’ as Baird continued to speak.
Baird continued: ‘Kieran, you’re not listening to what Claire [victims commissioner Claire Waxman] says. She is right. The women’s movement is very disappointed with this bill because it doesn’t tackle the issue of criminalisation of women and they think that dealing with delays in the list is a very poor substitute and they will not have it.'
Mullan told Baird her comments about Nichols were disrespectful. Baird disagreed, telling the committee that MP Natalie Fleet, who is also a victim, took the opposite view.
Earlier, Mullan and Waxman had a tense exchange over a letter from several organisations working across the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector to justice secretary David Lammy, urging him to reconsider his proposal to restrict access to jury trials.
Mullan asked Waxman if she accepted that views differed among organisations representing victims. Waxman told the committee the letter was focused on the criminalisation of victims.
The Courts and Tribunals Bill is currently in committee stage in the House of Commons.
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