Labour calls for minister to resign if he fails to tackle rape figures within a year
Robert Buckland must resign as justice secretary if he can’t reverse the plunging prosecution and conviction levels for rape within a year, Labour has demanded.
“Crocodile tears”
Shadow justice secretary David Lammy accused Buckland of shedding “crocodile tears” this week. It came after Buckland apologised for the downward trends in bringing sexual offenders to justice. Ministers set out plans for a “system and culture change” after convictions for rape and lesser offences in England and Wales hit a record low.
Buckland said sorry over the dire situation. And he accepted that government cuts to the legal system played a part in plunging conviction rates following the publication of an official review. But Lammy said:
The Justice Secretary’s crocodile tears will mean nothing if the Government fails to reverse its disastrous failure of rape victims. The Conservatives’ decade of cuts to the justice system has let rapists and other violent criminals off the hook while denying victims justice.
Rape convictions and prosecutions have more than halved in three years. If he cannot reverse these figures within a year of his apology, the Justice Secretary should do the honourable thing and resign.
Read on...
All time low
The latest CPS figures for 2019-20 show 1,439 suspects were convicted of rape or lesser offences in England and Wales in 2020. That’s the lowest level since records began. That figure was down from 1,925 the previous year, despite reports of adult rape to police almost doubling since 2015-16.
There are an estimated 128,000 victims of rape and attempted rape a year. But only 1.6% of reported cases results in a charge. A Tory spokesperson accused Lammy of “continuing to play politics with such a serious issue”. They added:
But more worryingly, It shows naivety and a poor understanding of the criminal justice system to think that five years of decline can be reversed at the drop of a hat.
We’re focused on delivering justice for victims, not headlines for newspapers.
Shame
Earlier this week, Buckland said he was “deeply ashamed” by the downward trends and cited a raft of measures aimed at increasing the number of allegations to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). They’re also intended to increase the number of suspects charged and ensure the amount of cases reaching court return to 2016 levels by the end of this parliament.
Measures include a pilot scheme aimed at reducing cross-examination of victims in court by conducting pre-recorded interviews and a nationwide recognition that only evidence about the complainant that is pertinent to the case should be used.
A new approach to investigations, which ensures that there’s an “early and robust assessment of suspect behaviour and offending patterns”, is also planned.
We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support
The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.
The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.
So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.
-
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
Mr Buckland, get a grip. I am your constituent and I am not happy, I told you in September 2020 to up your game. And sort out that rapist MP in your Conservative party while you are at it.
Filthy scumbag paedophiles should not be in Parliament. EVER.