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British MP Regrets Supporting Legal Aid Cuts

posted by n1 on Tuesday April 15 2014, @08:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the a-mile-in-someone-else's-shoes dept.

lhsi writes:

The Independent is reporting that Nigel Evans, a British MP recently cleared of sexual assault charges, has said he regretted previously supporting cuts to legal aid.

He said he was stunned to learn he would have to pay his legal fees even if he was acquitted plus value added tax.

Tough new rules on the amount of cash acquitted defendants could claim back were passed in 2011 as the Ministry of Justice sought to trim the legal aid budget.

Bill Waddington, the chairman of the Criminal Law Solicitors' Association, said: "It is interesting it takes something like this for MPs to realise that only two years ago they actually voted for this change against vociferous opposition from the legal community."

 
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  • (Score: 1) by arslan on Tuesday April 15 2014, @10:39PM

    by arslan (3462) on Tuesday April 15 2014, @10:39PM (#32044)

    Yes, it will be worse. Which one do you think is easier, resorting to corruption or championing the masses against the lobbyist and big corpos? The path of least resistance mate..