involved, notjust for tragic. notjust for the individuals involved, not just for the tragic. notjust for the individuals involved, notjust for the local community but especially the family and friends of the individuals who have been affected by this. barristers will walk out of courts across england and wales in a dispute over legal aid funding despite warnings of misconduct disciplinary proceedings if they don t turn up to work. nhs patients in england who have been waiting more than two years for surgery are being offered hospital treatment in other parts of the country. have you been waiting up to two years for treatment? would you prepared to travel to another part of the country if it meant you could have your treatment sooner? we want to hear from you. you can find me on twitter, i m @annitabbc or you can use the hashtag bbc your questions. and coming up in sport. we ll be live at wimbledon as the first day of the tournament gets under way. big names on courts today in
people who can t afford a lawyer. the government says the walkouts will only delay justice for victims. let s speak now to chris daw barrister and author ofjustice on trial, about reforming the criminal justice system. thank you very much forjoining us today. this strike, it has been described as say what is at stake is the survival of the criminaljustice system itself, is that overstating things? system itself, is that overstating thins? ., , ., , things? no, it is not, it is important things? no, it is not, it is important to things? no, it is not, it is important to understand l things? no, it is not, it is. important to understand that barristers in the criminal courts are mostly self employed and we are dealing in particular with a number of factors that have led to this action. the fact that the delays in the criminaljustice system as a result of people leaving the criminal bar have become so catastrophic that victims cannot get justice. i will give you one example, the aver
criminal barristers but of the criminal barristers but of the criminaljustice criminal barristers but of the criminal justice system. criminal barristers but of the criminaljustice system. the barristers will not see any of that money until 2024 and with inflation running at 10%, by the time the money come through it will have been wiped out by inflation. it is an illusion and a dishonest illusion created by the government there is this bonanza a 15% being offered to barristers. even if that were true, which it is not, incomes have been cut by 40% on average over the last 15 years, to 15% wouldn t even touch the sides of that. is it 15 years, to 1596 wouldn t even touch the sides of that. the sides of that. is it the case, ust to the sides of that. is it the case, just to clarify. the sides of that. is it the case, just to clarify, this the sides of that. is it the case, just to clarify, this proposed i the sides of that. is it the case, l just to clarify, this proposed raise doe
days, overfour years case to come to trial is now 1500 days, over four years where victims are having to wait, wait and wait and sometimes they turn up at the trial to find the case has to be adjourned because there is nojudges and in many cases, no lawyers to deal with the case. it s got to the point now where criminal barristers are walking out of the profession. julie barristers only earn an average of £12,000 a year and they have left in one year. it s got to the point where the criminal bar cannot survive and if the criminal bar cannot survive that can be no justice in the most serious cases in a system. justice in the most serious cases in a s stem. ., ., ., ,, a system. you are talking in the case ofjunior a system. you are talking in the case ofjunior barristers - a system. you are talking in the case ofjunior barristers who i a system. you are talking in the i case ofjunior barristers who have gone through a lot of training, many years at university any less than the minimum