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However, criminal defence specialist Greg Foxsmith, a former LCCSA president, said in a blog post that the timing of the 'rushed and ill-judged legislation is unfortunate'. The declaration requirement comes into force two months after publication of the Lammy Review, which highlighted little faith among black, Asian and minority ethnic defendants in the criminal justice system.

I am sure that David Lammy would agree that it would be quite wrong to presume that BAME defendants would be foreign nationals. This only reinforces the need for all defendants to state their nationality at the outset of the case to ensure complete transparency.