Dame Vera Baird: Victims' champion resigns, claiming her role was sidelined

The Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird, has resigned, accusing the government of downgrading victims' needs, and sidelining the role.

In a powerfully worded letter to the new justice secretary, Brandon Lewis, Dame Vera describes the criminal justice system as being "in chaos".

Mr Lewis replaced Dominic Raab as justice secretary earlier this month.

In response, Mr Raab said he was proud of his record on supporting victims.

The victims' commissioner role was created in 2010 to ensure the needs of victims are upheld in the justice system - and Dame Vera, a senior lawyer and former Labour minister, has held the post since 2019.

The letter accuses Mr Raab, who was justice secretary for a year, of lacking engagement with the plight of victims.

Dame Vera says the last time he met her was in February.

She accuses him of sending mixed messages by not automatically re-appointing when her first term was due to end earlier this year, but then encouraging her to re-apply for the job.

"An important part of my role is access to ministers on behalf of the people I represent and serve.

"Prior to this year, we have made progress for victims largely through the responsive attitude of previous Secretaries of State.

"The lack of engagement from the top at a time of great upheaval for victims reflected poorly on the Ministry of Justice's priorities and the government's approach," says the letter.

Earlier this year, Dominic Raab told her he was opening the post to competition.

In her resignation letter, she writes that she applied in good faith but in the summer was "brusquely informed" by officials that no-one was being appointed from the process.

She later learned she was an appointable candidate and says she was urged to apply again in a new appointment process and to stay in post until the end of the year.

The Ministry of Justice says final interviews for the post are provisionally set for December.

However, as yet, there is no date for the successful candidate to be announced.

Dame Vera agreed to remain until the end of September and then to consider an extension but, in her letter, she says it has become clear to her that "there is nothing to be gained for victims by my staying in post beyond the current extension".

The letter describes the proposed Victims' Bill as inadequate, adding that little has been done to tackle the enormous backlog of court cases, exposing victims of crime "to intolerable delay, anguish and uncertainty".

"It is no exaggeration to say that the criminal justice system is in chaos."

Dame Vera says a strong, independent Victims' Commissioner has never been more important, and the role must never be allowed to lie dormant, as has the job of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, which has been empty since the spring.

The End Violence Against Women Coalition described Vera Baird as a "stable and tireless advocate for victims".

"We're grateful to the outgoing Victims' Commissioner for never failing to ask the uncomfortable, yet necessary questions and name the changes that are needed to deliver transformation and justice for survivors," said the group in a statement.

Claire Waxman, London's Victims' Commissioner, said the role of National Victims' Commissioner was "critical" and she was "hugely disappointed" there would be no-one in post for the first time for years.

"This is also a critical moment for victims, with a justice system in crisis as our courts struggle to deliver justice and the Victims' Bill finally going through Parliament," added Ms Waxman.

Mr Raab said he was proud of his record in office, adding: "The Victims' Commissioner role is important and we re-ran the process because in all honesty we wanted a stronger field of candidates and were confident of getting one."

Labour's shadow victims' minister, Anna McMorrin, paid tribute to Dame Vera's "tireless work", saying new legislation from a Labour government would put "victims back at the heart of our broken justice system".