Frances Gibb (Extracted from "Accused arsonist freed after barristers 'strike'", The Times, 12 October 2005)

"A man facing life imprisonment for arson walked free yesterday when his trial collapsed amid an increasingly angry dispute between barristers and the Government over legal aid fees. In the first trial to be hit by the dispute, Alan Archer, from Worcester, was declared not guilty by the judge after the Crown Prosecution Service failed to find a barrister to prosecute the case."

Joshua Rozenberg (Extracted from "Don't browbeat judges, chief justice warns Blair", Daily Telegraph, 12 October 2005)

"Judges and the Government were on a collision course last night after the new Lord Chief Justice warned ministers not to try to "browbeat" them. Tony Blair hit back by revealing his frustration with a slow and laborious courts system, saying he wanted more "summary justice" to be dispensed by police officers."

[Ed: Now that barristers are going on strike, it reminds me of the UK car industry in the 1960s and 70s. The over-greedy car workers and incompetent management between them destroyed eight large factories in my home town of Coventry. The legal profession has been in clover for many years due to an extravagant legal aid system. Greedy lawyers and incompetent management by Tony Blair are now in danger of destroying the proper application of justice in this country.]