Justice Secretary Chris Grayling was today accused of undermining “the rule of law” as 90 top barristers launched a new attack on legal aid reforms.
In a letter, the QCs, who include the former Director of Public Prosecutions Lord Macdonald and Tony Blair’s wife Cherie Booth, say reforms which will remove legal aid for a range of judicial review cases will leave “many of society’s most vulnerable people” without proper representation.
They also claim the changes, which include ending legal aid for judicial review for prisoners alleging mistreatment and for test cases, will also put specialist law firms out of business.
Mr Grayling argues reform is needed to trim the £1.7 billion legal aid bill, but the QCs say people suffering “unlawful action by public bodies” will have to represent themselves in court, while lawyers will be unable to challenge “abuses by UK agents” overseas. The letter adds: “These proposals will seriously undermine the rule of law and Britain’s global reputation for justice.”
The Ministry of Justice insisted the changes will stop public money being wasted without harming citizens’ rights to question actions by public bodies.
