The Yorkshire Post says: Put victims first or risk tokenism charge

WHEN BARONESS Helen Newlove speaks out on the rights of victims, she does so with painful experience of the criminal justice system after her first husband, Garry, was kicked to death by three youths.

By The Newsroom

Published 19th Jul 2018, 01:41 BST

Baroness Newlove is the Victims Commissioner.

And when the Tory peer, who is the much respected Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, says compensation for people who suffer at the hands of criminals should be paid up front rather than in “derisory” instalments, the Government should take notice.

Not only will victims feel betrayed if they don’t receive recompense for their injuries, suffering and financial loss, but it also undermines the work of commissioners like Baroness Newlove.

For, if the Government ignores the advice from experts who Ministers – Theresa May and David Cameron in this instance – have appointed to such high-profile roles, then it suggests that the original motive of political leaders was tokenism. And that, too, is a serious offence.