I am not a lawyer. I am a concerned citizen, and someone committed to the common good. Below is a quotation from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a man who expects to be taken seriously as a political leader entrusted with the good governance of our country, the safety of our citizens, the upholding of the laws of the land as passed by Parliament, the stewardship and curatorship of our economy, and to act responsibly as the head of Government on behalf of the people, all the people. And this is what he says to his own Conservative Party members:
“We’re also backing those police up, protecting the public by changing the law to stop the early release of serious sexual and violent offenders and stopping the whole criminal justice system from being hamstrung by what the home secretary would doubtless – and rightly – call the lefty human rights lawyers, and other do-gooders.”
This is dangerous nonsense, and an abuse of the Office of Prime Minister, by the person currently entrusted with that Office. It is worth deconstructing this statement to expose the inner springs of its dangerous rhetoric.
The dog whistle phrases "backing the police up", "protecting the public". These are the rhetorical feel good promises and commendable goals. We all want the police to be supported and the public protected - but no mention of the massive cuts to police resources that have been imposed by this and previous Governments in the past decade.
The focus on two already recognised categories of crime and their consequent social and legal issues. The public, and the Government recognise that there is a need to review and adjust current legislation and provisions around early release. But such changes require sophisticated and careful review by legal and judicial experts who should be properly resourced and engaged in producing appropriate legislation which addresses legitimate concerns.
"Stopping the whole criminal justice system from being hamstrung..." While these are serious crimes, and the early release of those who commit them must be examined and under constant review and scrutiny, it is not these cases that hamstring the criminal justice system. According to The Law Society it is gross under funding and continuing cuts that make the legal mills grind slowly.
These are the four rhetorical springs that wind up to an outrageous degradation of the work and professional integrity of lawyers, who are essential components in an efficient, impartial and rights focused criminal justice system. Take time to read the last words as they stand on their own, before the rhetorical smokescreen of pseudo virtue and faux political seriousness:
"hamstrung by what the home secretary would doubtless – and rightly – call the lefty human rights lawyers, and other do-gooders.” This is the Prime Minister speaking to his Party, overheard by the country. Here is my question - why does the Prime Minister of one of the world's major democratic nations view human rights negatively? And why complain about people who are trying to do good?
"Lefty human rights lawyers and do-gooders" is a phrase loaded with much freight and trundled out as if it were a matter of universal agreement that doing good as a human rights lawyer is a bad thing, and lawyers should all and only be sympathetic to the political ideology of the Right.
It assumes that the law is politically partisan; and clearly the Prime Minister believes it should be, provided it is Right leaning. This is an astonishing betrayal of his Office.
It suggests that those who defend the human rights of the accused by using all legal means are somehow obstructing the law, when in fact they are implementing, upholding and exercising the law as legislatively intended. This betrays astonishing ignorance of the role of defence lawyers.
It suggests that there is something unacceptable about doing good, which in this context means the lawyer, any lawyer, left or right, will do all in their power and within the power of the law to ensure that accused and victim are treated fairly and equitably before the law. This shows an astonishing lack of moral awareness and social perception.
I am not a lawyer. I am a concerned citizen. Here is the response of one QC:
Amanda Pinto QC, the chair of the Bar Council, which represents barristers, said: “It is shocking and troubling that our own prime minister condones and extends attempts to politicise and attack lawyers for simply doing their job in the public interest.
“Lawyers – including those employed by the government itself – are absolutely vital to the running of our grossly under-funded criminal justice system. Their professional duty is to their client and to the court, and not to play political games.
It is indeed shocking and troubling. And yes, it is indeed dangerous nonsense.
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