Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice Richard Baker has said the SNP government have “completely failed to engage with the legal profession“ over the handling of the Salduz and Cadder cases.

The comments echo those of the Law Society and the criminal branch, who accused Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini of failing to consult with them before circulating emergency guidelines that affected legal aid payments and violated the code of conduct.

“It appears from the confusion and panic at the heart of the Scottish government that no proper preparations were made, no contingency funding was put in place and those who actually make our justice system function – our legal practitioners - were completely ignored,” Baker told the Firm.

“The Scottish government should have been speaking to the profession about any change in procedure and have had the fine details about payment and capacity issues worked out well before the Lord Advocate quietly announced the alteration in procedure.

“The fact that the First Minister told me on 17 June that he had no idea what this change in our legal system will cost the legal aid budget is frightening.

“If the judgement of the Supreme Court turns out to be retrospective then the implications are even more serious. Acquittals, retrials and possible compensation will drag Scotland’s courts into chaos, but again there appears to have been no contingency planning on how Scotland’s courts would cope.

“We are in danger of sleepwalking into sweeping changes in the Scottish legal system because of a lack of preparation. That is inexcusable and threatens Scotland’s unique legal framework.”