A Criminal Code [audio 30min]

Clive Anderson presents the series looking at legal issues. Criminal law in Britain is based on a huge jumble of statutory and common law, some of which goes back to the 17th Century. Many criticise it as being incoherent and inconsistent. The law relating to murder, for example, is seen as confusing and unfair, needing to be adapted on a case by case basis. Should we not, like every other nation in Europe, have a clear, authoritative, modern written statement of our criminal law -- a criminal code? Or would that now create more problems than it solves?