OVER 200 barristers, solicitors, law students, probation officers and trade union supporters yesterday morning demonstrated outside Westminster Magistrates Court in defence of legal aid.
Russell Fraser of the Justice Alliance told News Line: ‘We’ve organised this demonstration to coincide with the Day of Action by criminal solicitors and barristers in protest against legal aid cuts.
‘They are not attending court this morning before 2pm.’
The Criminal Bar Association said there was a mass ‘non-attendance’ at courts in cities in England and Wales, including London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Winchester, Bristol and Cardiff, in protest at planned £220m cuts to legal aid.
It said that the unprecedented action came with anger at ‘boiling point’.
Lawyers argue the cuts would see their fees fall by up to 30 per cent, reducing the representation available to defendants.
Russell Fraser explained: ‘The Justice Alliance is a collection of lawyers’ groups, charities, trade unions, NGOs and grass roots organisations.
‘The purpose of the protest today is to highlight and remind the public about the other reforms the government has planned for legal aid.
‘We are particularly concerned about the withdrawal of legal aid for prisoners, restrictions on the ability to launch judicial reviews and the discriminatory and arbitrary residency test.’
Matt Foot of Justice Alliance added: ‘This is about defending a crucial part of the Welfare State, about having equal access to the courts no matter how much you earn.’
Criminal Bar Association chairman Nigel Lithman QC told protesters outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court that if people aren’t represented properly, mistakes are made which can lead to very costly appeals against miscarriages of justice.
He said: ‘A line has to be drawn in the sand before it’s too late.
‘The cuts pose the most serious threat to the British legal system in more than 400 years.
‘The government says it is tough on crime, but is stripping the criminal justice system of anyone able to adequately prosecute serious criminals or defend those falsely accused.’
Barristers and solicitors believe that the proposed legal aid fees are so low that talented lawyers will leave criminal defence work.
Lawyers said they were ‘not prepared to work at hourly rates lower than the national minimum wage’.
The Treasury Counsel, a group of top barristers appointed by the attorney general to prosecute the most serious crimes, has criticised the plans.
It was joined by the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, and the Law Society, which represents solicitors, also in England and Wales.
