’The Secret Barrister’ exposes the scandalous extent of recent cuts to legal aid. A couple of examples: increasing numbers are having to defend themselves in magistrates courts where conviction rates are now over 60%; in Crown Courts, they’re less than 25%. And in the same budget, duty on beer and cider was reduced and frozen at a cost of £300m while legal aid cuts saved £200m.
In contrast, if you want to complain because you couldn’t access your TSB account online or your Visa card wouldn’t work, the banks will have to pay the Ombudsman’s costs (£550) whether you win or not. All a question of priorities, I’d say as many voters apply the ’no smoke without fire’ principle to, and have little sympathy for either banks or those who end up in court.
