‘Damning indictment’: Poll shows Brits’ lack of trust in justice system

The vast majority of Britons feel they cannot trust the nation’s justice system, with a meager 24 percent of the population believing the system is “fair and transparent,” a survey has found.

The poll, commissioned by law firm Hodge Jones and Allen, found that in Scotland and the North East the figures were even more damning, with just 15 percent claiming to trust the system.

Nearly 7 out of 10 Britons believe wealth plays a larger part in accessing justice than it has in the past, while 9 in 10 of those working in the legal sector agree.

Research consultancy Populus interviewed 2,000 members of the public as well as 500 legal professionals in September. The statistics were published in an annual report released by the firm on Wednesday.

Patrick Allen, senior partner at the firm, said: “These statistics represent a damning indictment of the UK justice system. If millions of people across the country are intimidated, alienated and confused by the prospect of seeking justice in 21st-century Britain, then we should consider our legal system to have failed in its fundamental duty to provide justice for all.

“By acknowledging the gravity of the situation, we can put these issues on the public, media and governmental agenda and find the momentum for change,” he added.