Not for the first time, I was recently called for jury service. The difference this time was that I wasn’t told to go away because of my sight impairment. Perhaps a promise made by Lord Irving, when he was Lord Chancellor, was going to come good. Perhaps his commitment to ensuring the participation of blind and partially sighted people on juries was real. Perhaps Nania is a real place.

My letter that appeared in The Guardian on 5th February 2018 sets out my principle gripes.

While it’s true that most of us groan at the thought of two weeks on a jury, having been called, I take my responsibilities seriously and wanted to ensure I could meet my obligations. What I wish I had said at the end of my letter is that it’s a great pity the state cannot afford me the respect it commands of me.

I’ll let the letter speak for itself but will, without doubt, return to this topic in due course