Ken Clarke gets thousands of Valentine’s cards – from lovers of legal aid

Thousands of people sent Justice Secretary, Ken Clarke, a Valentine’s Day card today telling him of their love for legal aid and their concern for half a million people who would be left without access to justice by proposed cuts.

Monday 14 February 2011: Today Justice for All campaigners handed in the cards at the Ministry of Justice, marking the end of the department’s consultation on legal aid cuts which would leave the UK’s poorest people defenceless against unscrupulous landlords, abusive bosses and violent partners.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder and director of Kids Company, said:

Britain is the bottom of the league of the 21 richest countries in the world for the wellbeing of children. Many are struggling to receive help. Legal Aid was the only assurance these children had for care to be delivered to them. As one boy said when we won a case in his favour against a social work department: “the Queen is on my side”. It would be so sad if Legal Aid was not there to ensure vulnerable children are protected.

The campaign to defend free legal advice, Justice for All, has snowballed in recent weeks:
• Over 2,200 organisations and individuals have joined the campaign including the charities Citizens Advice, Kids Company, Law Centres Federation, Liberty and Shelter.
• 83 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion tabled in support of the campaign.
Debbie, a mother who was helped by legal aid, said:

“I don’t know where we’d be without Shelter’s help, funded by legal aid. I certainly wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in with my little girl. We wouldn’t be safe, we wouldn’t be re-housed, my daughter’s education and future would have been destroyed because of the harassment.”

Keith Best, CEO of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, said:

“Torture survivors seeking a safe haven in the UK need access to specialist legal providers experienced in dealing with their complex protection claims. Legal aid cuts threaten to leave survivors vulnerable to a risk of return to persecution if they can’t get the representation they need.”

The Ministry of Justice wants to cut the 2.5 per cent of the legal aid budget which helps defend the UK’s poorest families against unfair dismissal, destitution and exclusion from school.
• The cuts target the most vulnerable. 98 per cent of people who get legal aid are from poor backgrounds.  The Ministry of Justice’s own impact assessment acknowledges this. 
• The cuts will disproportionately hit voluntary organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureaux and Law Centres who will lose 77 per cent of their legal aid income, and could lead to the closure of over 1500 private firms who deliver legal aid work.
• The cuts would mean people don’t get early advice on their problems. Early advice can save the public purse up to £10 for every £1 invested.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
For more information contact: Jane Backhurst, Director, Campaigns, Communications and Policy, Law Centres Federation. Tel 077 264 33 125

Justice for All is the campaign to ensure everyone is treated fairly under the law, no matter who they are, how much money they have or where they live. It is a coalition of legal and advice agencies, politicians, trade unions, community groups and members of the public. http://www.justice-for-all.org.uk

Published: Mon 14 Feb, 2011