The recent
Cabinet re-shuffle has seen the removal of Ken Clarke as Justice Secretary and
Jonathan Djanogly as Justice Minister. They have been the architects of the Legal
Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) which has seen the most
brutal cuts in Legal Aid in history, alongside relentless attacks on personal injury victims and their lawyers.
So for
anybody concerned with Access to Justice this could be good news. But I would
not be celebrating just yet. Mr. Grayling is certainly not on record as
opposing any of these cuts and since LASPO has now received Royal Assent an
ambitious politician is unlikely to change much.
In the past
he has spoken out against The Human Rights Act but Liberty has pointed out that he did oppose ID
cards and quoted the Human Rights Act. And he may have a different view on the
secret courts which I have mentioned before.
On the
other hand he did also once speak in favour of the rights of Bed and Breakfast
owners to turn away a gay couple.
But there
is always hope, especially as the newcomers to the MOJ include solicitor Helen
Grant and Birmingham Barrister Jeremy Wright who is a Criminal Law expert acting for Prosecution
and Defence. So could the voice of someone who is familiar with the ‘coalface’
make a difference?According to the Guardian Ms Grant has been a critic of the Legal Aid cuts, which is promising -
The general view in the medial is that the main purpose of this re-shuffle is to placate the Conservative Party’s right wing. If that is the case we should not expect too much to change in relation to Legal Aid, Human Rights or open justice.
The general view in the medial is that the main purpose of this re-shuffle is to placate the Conservative Party’s right wing. If that is the case we should not expect too much to change in relation to Legal Aid, Human Rights or open justice.
On the
other hand this is a complete clean out of the old regime that has angered most
lawyers and others involved in advising ordinary people. So maybe there is some
scope for a more sympathetic approach.
Ever the
optimist!!
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