HEMMING “UNREPENTANT” OVER FAMILY COURT ROW

09-05-2008

Birmingham MP John Hemming declared himself “unrepentant” and vowed to continue his battle to open up the Family Courts – despite fierce condemnation by a judge yesterday.

Hemming was blasted by Lord Justice Wall in the Court of Appeal, after lobbying on behalf of a woman whose child has been taken into care by Nottingham City Council.

He’s been acting as a so-called “McKenzie Friend” – ie an unqualified advocate – and made derogatory comments at a previous hearing about a psychologist working on the case.

The judge said that “there is no evidence whatsoever” to justify the MP’s criticisms, and accused him of “an abuse of his position” by raising a petition in parliament about the issue.

Despite such a blunt attack on his reputation, Hemming declared himself “totally unrepentant” and said the case actually highlights the weaknesses of the system.

He said the mother had lost her child without having an opportunity to defend herself in court because she was deemed – incorrectly in his view – to be “too thick.”

Hemming said: “It’s a basic human right to be heard. All the other issues raised in this case pale into insignificance compared to that.

“If you’re going to have the rule of law, you’ve got to allow people to speak up and make their case.

“You can’t have situation where a decision is made by people wearing suits and you’re not allowed to challenge them.”

Thanks to Hemming’s promptings, the Council of Europe is now investigating the UK Family Courts and he says he’ll be sending details of the latest judgement too them.

“The case is useful because it make the point that the processes in the Family Court are too important to be left to the lawyers” he said.

The Nottingham case is one of those featured on the Yardley MP’s download single Bring The Sunshine In, which you can hear exclusively previewed here.

To read the full verdict from the Court of Appeal, click here

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