What would the Liberal Democrats do to protect the justice system?

The Liberal Democrats take any threat to the justice system of the United Kingdom very seriously, say Liberal Democrats Parliamentary candidates in Newcastle (pictured).

Our justice system is under pressure; Brexit threatens international cooperation; the Conservatives have failed to defend the rule of law which is the cornerstone of our democracy and cuts to legal aid have denied effective access to justice to many. Therefore, the Liberal Democrats have a range of policies in place to ensure that our justice system remains a pride for our country.

We will ensure that the UK retains international arrangements for jurisdiction, the recognition and enforcement of judgments and for family cases, currently enjoyed under the EU Brussels I and Brussels II Regulation and the Hague Child Abduction Convention. Further, we will conduct an urgent and comprehensive review of the effects of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act on access to justice, particularly funding for social welfare appeals, domestic violence and exceptional cases.

Any justice system is only worthy of the name if it provides for all people under its jurisdiction, even the poorest and most vulnerable. Therefore, we will also reverse the massive increases in court and tribunal fees, which prevent many from pursuing good cases.

To ensure that our justice system is properly equipped to face future challenges, the Liberal Democrats will continue to modernise and simplify court procedures to improve efficiency. We also want to end the 1% pay rise cap on the public sector, and uprate wages with inflation. The rule of law and access to justice is a crucial pillar of our society, and any challenge to it must be taken very seriously. We will protect our system of judicial review from further attack, retaining government accountability for unlawful action, and offer a staunch defence of our judiciary and the rule of law