Dame Vera signals ‘firm intention’ to continue as Victims’ Commissioner

Dame Vera Baird has signalled her “firm intention” to stand for a second term as Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales.

Mar 11, 2022
By Paul Jacques
Dame Vera Baird

In a break from recent precedence, Dame Vera has not been offered an automatic second term, but said she “remains unashamedly ambitious for victims”.

June will mark the end of Dame Vera’s first full term as Victims’ Commissioner. Appointees typically serve three-year terms and can serve up to two consecutive terms in total.

The Government has launched an open recruitment process and Dame Vera has been formally invited to apply for the position.

Dame Vera said she will be submitting an application and hopes to serve a second term in the role.

“This is a fascinating and challenging role and one that I am privileged to hold,” said Dame Vera.

“I was delighted to be appointed Victims’ Commissioner under Theresa May’s government almost three years ago. Much has been achieved in this time and I remain unashamedly ambitious for victims.

“It is my firm intention to stand for a second term as Victims’ Commissioner.”

She added: “With the pivotal Victims’ Bill on the horizon, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly transform the victim’s experience of the justice system.

“This requires a strong, experienced and independent voice to push for the very best for victims at the highest levels of government and public debate.

“I am proud of my record in post and confident in my abilities to deliver for victims and I look forward to setting out my vision for victims directly to the Justice Secretary.”

The role of Victims’ Commissioner was first established in 2010 under the Gordon Brown government. Designed to be a “non-partisan post”, the officeholder is tasked with advising ministers on victims’ policy, championing victims’ interests and holding the government to account on its delivery. The role does not possess any statutory powers, but commissioners can use their platform to advocate for change.

Dame Vera took up the role in June 2019. She succeeded the Conservative peer Baroness Newlove following the conclusion of her second and final term. Baroness Newlove was first appointed in December 2012 and reappointed without a competitive process in 2016.

Under Dame Vera’s tenure, the role of Victims’ Commissioner has secured widespread and increasing national media interest. She has been a forceful and leading commentator on the criminal justice system’s handling of rape, highlighting failures in how it is investigated and prosecuted.

The launch of a recruitment process comes as the Government’s landmark Victims’ Bill is expected to be introduced this parliamentary session.

This is something Dame Vera has long championed and, her office has conducted extensive research and engaged closely with the Ministry of Justice on what form a Victims’ Law might take. Last month she prepared a detailed 98-page response to the Government’s consultation and is set to meet with policy officials to discuss her proposals.

As Victims’ Commissioner, Dame Vera has been a driving force behind many recent advancements in victims’ protections.

In November 2021, she secured new privacy safeguards for rape victims in the Policing Bill, protecting against “over-intrusive and excessive” police requests for personal mobile phone data in rape investigations.

Following Dame Vera’s extensive advocacy, the Government announced victims of sexual offences will be spared the trauma of giving evidence in court, through the nationwide roll-out of a scheme enabling pre-recorded evidence (section 28) – far faster and further than initially pledged in the Rape Review.

Dame Vera has also campaigned strongly on anti-social behaviour and has advocated for the increased use of the ‘community trigger’ through engagement with councillors, police, local authorities and anti-social behaviour charities.

In 2019/20, Dame Vera worked extensively to help shape the Domestic Abuse Act, in which she and campaigners secured crucial amendments, including landmark changes to make non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence.

In conjunction with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Dame Vera also successfully pushed for an independent review into domestic homicide sentencing. This is presently being conducted by Clare Wade QC.

Most recently, Dame Vera welcomed moves to make tackling violence against women and girls a Strategic Policing Requirement, according it the same status as counter-terrorism policing and knife crime. Dame Vera has been a prominent voice advocating for such a change.

The recruitment process for the Victims’ Commissioner role opened March 10, running for a short window period of three weeks. The Government said the successful candidate is expected to take on the role in the following months.

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