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The fact that the Government are rushing through these proposals at a time when Issues such as Brexit and prisoner rioting are at large is extraordinary and requires further analysis.

Yesterday, Christine Rees,the shadow justice minister, gave a measured, sensible and rational explanation to the MASS conference that her party could not support an increase in the small claims limit as claim numbers were falling, and insurers profits rocketing with the windfall savings following LASPO and other reforms. She said that the suggestion of a pandemic of fraud simply didn't stack up.

David Williams of AXA warned that a rise in the limit to £5000 would see a CMCs charter - and the claimant would see less in damages.

So what really, honestly is driving this forward? It's not evidence based, iits certainly not access to justice - and it most certainly isn't to produce a saving to motorists as no savings have been passed on from the 2bn+ windfall that insurers have seen in the last few years.

Not only the rise in the small claims limit is proposed -there's a tinkering of damages also on the cards? It simply makes no sense and seems to be an ill thought out scheme merely designed to assist insurers.

This is absolutely nothing to do with 'fraud' - we've had wave after wave of reform, LASPO, fixed costs, :Portal, Medco, ASKCue PI, rule changes to affect the recoverability of ATE and success fees, 'Fundamental Dishonesty' rules with draconian strike out provisions where even successful claims can be struck
out .

It has been absolutely relentless. This on the back of massive court fee hikes of up to 600% against the selling of court buildings and closure of local courts, and the effective withdrawal of legal aid and public funding.
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So. Precisely who benefits? Insurers shareholders. Who loses out - again, the public.

The unintended consequences of what is about to happen are desperately concerning.

...and all this without considering yet more proposals to drive civil litigation into online courts.

Can we honestly say that we still have the best judicial system in the world? Hardly.