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Ensuring there is access to justice for all - Vera Hobhouse

March 26, 2019 10:16 PM
By Vera Hobhouse
Originally published by East Midlands Liberal Democrats

Scales of Justice in a courtroom.

Our justice system is failing the vulnerable,
and we should all be embarrassed about it.


Lawyers are expensive, and our justice system is failing those who can't afford them.

Legal aid spending in England and Wales has been cut by £933 million in the last eight years. And as a direct result, we've seen huge reductions in support.

  • The number of civil cases receiving early advice has dropped by 80%.
  • The number of criminal cases receiving legal aid funding has fallen by a third
  • The number of legal aid providers has fallen by a third, leaving parts of the country with no provisions at all.
  • The number of people representing themselves in count has increasing significantly.

And what infuriates me the most is that cuts to legal aid have disproportionately affected the vulnerable ...

To see the rest of Vera's article on the Party Website, please click HERE