New justice secretary Brandon Lewis has been told he “must open negotiations” with barristers to end a strike that has disrupted thousands of court hearings.
Dominic Raab refused to meet with the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) during a months-long dispute over the government fees paid for defending people who cannot afford legal representation.
Industrial action that started in June has escalated to an indefinite, total strike, with Ministry of Justice figures suggesting that 1,300 cases a week will be disrupted as a result.
