Not Loud, But Moving - April ‘26
A quieter moment on the surface - but important work has been moving behind the scenes
We’ve been a little quieter than usual. But that doesn’t mean things have slowed down. Over the past few weeks, work on the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) has continued behind the scenes - building on the recent amendment brought forward in the House of Lords. For those following, the amendment focused on a very specific issue - but one with real consequences.
Right now, in the Crown Court, the CPS often has no option but to “offer no evidence” when ending a case late in proceedings. That decision acts as an acquittal. It closes the case completely - even if the decision itself was wrong. And that’s where the problem sits.
Because the VRR exists to allow victims to challenge decisions. But in many of these cases, that review comes after the case has already been closed in a way that can’t be undone. The outcome? An apology - but no justice.
The amendment aimed to change that. To allow cases to be discontinued later, rather than closed through “offering no evidence”, so that if a decision is found to be wrong, the case could be reinstated. In simple terms: making the right to review actually meaningful.
What happened
The amendment was debated in the Lords, with clear recognition that this is an issue.
There was agreement that the current system creates a gap - where a right exists, but can’t always be used in a way that leads to a real outcome.
At the same time, the Government response was cautious. Concerns were raised about how this change might work in practice and whether there could be unintended consequences if not carefully designed. As a result, the amendment was withdrawn at this stage. But importantly, it wasn’t dismissed. The issue is still live.
Where things are now
Since then, the work has continued - just in a different way. There have been ongoing conversations with key stakeholders across the legal and policy space. That includes government, the CPS, and organisations working closely with victims and survivors.
There is more alignment than might be obvious from the outside. There are also early discussions about how this could move forward through future legislation - including the upcoming Courts and Tribunals Bill. This stage is slower, more detailed, and often less visible. But it matters.
The bigger picture
The CPS pilot - which allows earlier review in rape cases - is a positive step. It exists because of campaigning and lived experience. But it is limited. It doesn’t cover all cases. And it doesn’t fix the wider structural issue in the Crown Court.
Which brings us back to the same point:
If the system accepts that decisions can be wrong, then there must be a way to put them right.
Not just recognise them. Not just apologise for them. But actually fix them.
Why this matters
This isn’t abstract. It’s about real cases, where decisions have life-changing consequences. It’s about the difference between being told something went wrong - and having the chance to see that wrong corrected. The system asks a lot of victims. The right to review should be one of the few safeguards that genuinely works for them.
What next
Right now, a lot of the work is happening out of view - I feel that’s just part of the process.
But it is moving. Carefully. Deliberately. With purpose. We’ll share more when we can.
Progress isn’t always visible, but that doesn’t
mean it isn’t happening.
#RightToBeReviewed #MakeYourselfHeard
There’s still time to support the campaign to make the Victims’ Right to Review a permanent, national right.
You can help by writing to your MP, sharing why this reform matters, and following our campaign for updates and resources at @MYH_ldn - see links below
