Jade's Law - Disappointment at Government Response

An MP has expressed disappointment at a Government decision over Jade’s Law, but has reiterated that the next Labour Government will make it happen.

The Jade’s Law campaign has been run by Jade Ward’s parents Karen and Paul, Edwin Duggan and Mark Tami MP. Its aim is to change the law so that a parent who is convicted of killing the other has their parental rights suspended. The campaign began following the brutal murder of Jade Ward by her estranged husband and father of her four sons Russell Marsh, and his subsequent conviction.

Mr Duggan’s petition garnered a huge 130,179 signatures and a debate led by Mr Tami in Parliament gained support from cross-party MPs. Mark Tami then met with Lord Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice and Minister of State for Victims and Sentencing Edward Argar MP.

During the meeting and in a follow-up letter Mr Tami reiterated that the family weren’t asking that access to parental rights are removed altogether, merely that the perpetrator would have to apply through the courts to have them reinstated. Currently the family or guardian of the children involved have to apply to have them suspended or removed.

There was an agreement at the meeting that there was a need for greater support to those families who wanted to challenge parental rights in court and Mr Tami requested further detail on how this would be achieved.

In a recent response from Lord Bellamy, he announced that from May 1 legal aid would be made available for those like Jade’s parents who wish to apply in private proceedings for a Special Guardianship Order.

He also wrote: “the Family Procedure Rule Committee is now progressing work to explore ways to make the court process less time consuming and procedurally burdensome for families applying for special guardianship orders, or to restrict the exercise of parental responsibility, where a child does not have a parent to care for them on a day-to-day basis due to the only living parent’s imprisonment, for example where one parent is convicted of murdering the other.”

Responding to Lord Bellamy’s letter, Mark Tami MP said:
“I’m pleased to hear that legal aid will be available to Jade’s parents to get a Special Guardianship Order, and that there will be support to make the court process less arduous.

“The point is however that those in this situation shouldn’t have to go to court. The convicted murderer should have their parental responsibility suspended, and it should be them that has to go through the courts to get it back.

“Disappointingly, the Tory UK Government are obviously not prepared to make this change in the law. I reiterate Labour’s Shadow Justice team’s commitment to make Jade’s Law a reality when we get a Labour UK Government. I’m working with Shadow Justice Minister Ellie Reeves to get Jade’s Law into our manifesto, and she is working with other families affected by this anomaly of law.

“I admire the courage that Karen and Paul and the rest of the family has shown, and Edwin Duggan’s tenacity. I will continue to support them in any way I can.”

Pictured - Mark Tami MP.