It’s the cake and er… sex apparently…show, a fabulous interview with Felicity Gerry. She talks to Ben about sex trials, anonymity of defendants accused of rape, cross-examination of witnesses in sex trials and other related issues.
http://northpod.openshadow.com/series7/S07E06.mp3
This week also saw a meeting on the Northern Circuit about the future of the Bar – and the threats to it. As a result, all members of Circuit will be balloted over QASA. Kirstin tells us what the questions will be and we discuss the apparent feeling on other circuits.
Tell us what you think, particularly about the Northern Bar’s Ballot intitative on QASA.
It’s an excellent show and you should obviously listen to it all (fee note in the DX Ben & Kirsten), but for the ease of commenting, the summary seems to be :
There was a meeting of the Northern Circuit on 18th February. The outcome, in short, is that there will be a ballot of all Chambers shortly with the following two questions put:
1. Will you register for QASA?
2. Will you undermine the resistance to QASA on other circuits (ie, if one circuit decides not to sign up en masse, then will you go and cover the gaps on that circuit?)
Although the wording may change, that seems to be the gist of it.
(3) Also, Richard Pratt QC (leader of the Northern Circuit) said that he got a ‘robust’ mandate that ‘enough is enough’ and there should be no more Chatham House Discussions with Grayling and the MoJ.
(4) There was discussion as to the possibility, canvassed apparently by some on the North Eastern Circuit, of waiting until June (when the handbook is published) before anything is done.
(5) The questions of whether any action would breach Competition Law is a red herring.
Apologies if I’ve got any of that wrong.
We have yet to be overwhelmed with messages of support for the idea of holding off on QASA until after the Handbook is issued. No reason for this has yet been advanced.
Anyone from NE Circuit offering a view on that?
My view would be :
1. No, I’m not going to register (provided that there’s a ballot and that’s the view of the members)
2. Not a chance that I will be doing that and I hope that nobody does. I will happily ‘name and shame’ any that do.
3. Good on Richard Pratt, agree that enough is enough and we need to just press on.
4. I can’t imagine anything more silly than waiting till the handbook is published before doing anything (apart from waiting till the registration window is open).
5. Noted and not surprised.