Melanie Phillips' husband does write good articles. Kneller tried to narrow the scope of Henley's criticism. Bill Robertson was right all along, in his criticisms of the CCRC:
https://open.substack.com/pub/rozenberg/p/ccrc-chief-must-go?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=4tvp4h
It is an excellent piece, Roch, that also touches on some of the wider problems within the Appeal system. The MOJ and the Appeal Court should not escape unscathed from any much needed reform as they are also part of the problem. The simple fact that the CCRC's woeful track record has continued for so many years without being flagged or challenged is testament to this. The whole appeal system is deliberately underfunded and dysfunctional, in my view.
The dysfunctionality and bias of the Justice System is a feature, not a bug, in my own cynical view. I suggested, "tongue in cheek", that Bill R and the charity "APPEAL, would be a suitable replacement for the CCRC. The more I see, the more it becomes apparent that the volunteers of "APPEAL" would be suitable recipients of the funds currently being given to the inept CCRC.
Beyond the problems at the CCRC are wider issues. The COA itself, is not fit for purpose either. They are currently hearing the Colin Campbell/Norris appeal. The CCRC took almost 10 years from application to referral ( Oct 2011-February 2021). The COA have taken just over four years from referral to hearing (February 2021-May 2025). This is a"whole system" that doesn't work, by design.
