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16 April 2015 / Steve Hynes
Issue: 7649 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus , Legal services
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Steve Hynes examines the policies political parties are offering the electorate on access to justice & legal aid

Through a combination of scope and fee cuts around £600m-£700m has been cut by the coalition government from the legal aid budget over this parliament. These cuts mean around 650,000 have been denied access to justice. The Conservatives seem committed to more cuts and former legal aid lawyer Sadiq Khan, the Labour Shadow Lord Chancellor, has made it clear that if they form the next government he will not be able to turn back the clock on all the changes to legal aid. Against this background the outlook does not appear optimistic for legal aid lawyers, the not-for-profit advice sector and the clients they serve, but there are some glimmers of light in the manifestos and other pronouncements from the politicians as they make their pitch to voters.

Dividing line

A clear dividing line between the two main political parties is the issue of the tenders for duty contracts for police and magistrates’ court work. Right-up to the start of the main general

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