Legal campaigners are going forward to put pressure upon the government by holding marches across the country in protest at the legal aid reforms to be extracted or to set aside in the justice bill. In England & Wales, there will be marches in towns and cities and a rally outside the Supreme Court in London at noon and protested against Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary over his proposals to restrict the availability of legal aids.

As according to Kenneth Clarke the legal aid would no longer be usually available in cases including most private family law, clinical negligence, non-discrimination employment and immigration. The Bill covers the wide range of issues. It comprises four parts and sixteen schedules like provisions of legal aid, litigation funding and costs, sentencing and the punishment of the offenders.

After introducing this bill in House of Commons, by Kenneth Clarke, the bill was passed with a vote in ratio of 295:212 and will now be considered by a public bill committee for scrutiny and call for written evidence. The remarks were alleged to have been made at two controversial meetings held by the Legal Service Commission with large providers of Legal Aid Services.

Controversial Legal Aid Justice Bill in London

Report by Vibhanshu Vaibhav