LIB DEMS LAUNCH ATTACK ON LEGAL AID CUTS (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

LIB DEMS LAUNCH ATTACK ON LEGAL AID CUTS

January 9, 2007 12:00 PM

Southwark Council's Liberal Democrats are launching an attack on plans being led by Harriet Harman MP to introduce swingeing cuts to legal aid. The cuts would disproportionately affect cases involving people from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities.

"These cuts will make it more difficult for people from BME communities to find a solicitor who will take their case," said Cllr Paul Noblet who is leading the campaign against the cuts. "Already more than two out of every five legal aid solicitors in Southwark have quit and this will lead to more giving up and other firms merging and losing their unique identity."

"The proposal from the Government is to change the basis of legal aid funding to a fixed fee system. There will be no London allowance and any special costs, such as translators for those people for whom English is not a first language, will have to be met from the fixed fee. It is not surprising that many legal aid solicitors will see cases involving these special costs as not worth their while. We believe that cases involving BME claimants will be particularly hard hit."

"Southwark's Liberal Democrats believe that these proposed changes are a significant handicap for local people who need to access justice. Demands on legal aid have increased sharply since 1997 as a result of the increased number of offences on the statute book. If Labour are increasing the number of laws, they should accept that the number of court cases will also rise."

"In Southwark we have many legal firms which are led by lawyers from Black and Ethnic Minority communities. They are worried that they may be forced into mergers, which interfere with their identity or that leading lawyers will no longer be able to head up firms, providing important role models for their communities."

"It is particularly galling to see this proposal being championed by Harriet Harman, the MP for Camberwell and Peckham, an area that will be especially hard hit by these changes."