Justice Access Denied

Access To Justice Denied

Law Centres have been outside County Courts today protesting about the Government’s proposed reforms to Civil Legal Aid. Courts including Croydon, Wandsworth, Kingston and Central London were picketed by lawyers and clients concerned that the introduction of fixed fees and competitive tendering will mean fewer people will be given legal advice.

The protesters waved placards with the ‘No Entry’ sign logo and shouted the slogan “Justice Access Denied”. Tomorrow Law Centres will be protesting in Manchester outside the Immigration Tribunal and on Monday next week a protest will be held in Sheffield.

Earlier this month the Constitutional Affairs Committee published a damming report on the reforms saying that they were being “introduced too quickly, in too rigid a way and with insufficient evidence”.

“Everyone agrees that the legal aid budget is under pressure due mainly to high cost criminal and public law family cases. It is not a solution though, to introduce fixed fees and competitive tendering to the already cash strapped system. It is the most vulnerable clients that will suffer if the Government does not think again,”

said Steve Hynes Director of LCF today.

ENDS

Press contact Steve Hynes - 020 7255 9592 (Direct Line) or Mobile 07940 776408

Visit: Access to Justice Alliance.

Note: For photographs, see News