Napier calls on Straw to renounce attack on lawyers

Law Society President Michael Napier has called on Home Secretary Jack Straw to retract his comments about greedy lawyers last week, and also told the...Law Society President Michael Napier has called on Home Secretary Jack Straw to retract his comments about greedy lawyers last week, and also told the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, that they could damage the negotiations over criminal contracting.In a letter to the Home Secretary, Mr Napier said his speech to a crime reduction conference in Cambridge represents a serious distortion of the facts, in particular the misleading broad-brush comparison of the total number of lawyers with the total number of police officers.He said that around 10,000 solicitors represent those charged with criminal offences.

Their dedicated hard work carries out a public service that enables the UK government to comply with its international obligations and its own (welcome) Human Rights Act.The Home Office said Mr Straw would reply in due course.Mr Napiers letter to Lord Irvine expressed astonishment at the attack, given the tense point that negotiations between his department, the Legal Services Commission and the Law Society have reached over criminal contracting.

He invited Lord Irvine to correct Mr Straws remarks.Quite apart from the inaccuracy of his comments, the inevitable effect will be to heighten the already charged atmosphere that surrounds the current negotiations.

It also calls into worrying question the attitude of the government generally towards the legal professions, Mr Napier said.Meanwhile, a senior solicitor in Bristol has written to Mr Straw to explain that, as a result of the speech, he is resigning his Labour Party membership after 30 years.

Roy Douglas, former senior partner of and now consultant at Douglas & Partners, and a senior law lecturer at the University of the West of England, said he will be voting for the Liberal Democrats at the next election: No one could want a Tory government less than I, but I am simply not prepared to be abused and insulted for the job I do, my commitment to which arises out of my commitment to the idea of justice.Neil Rose