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Cuts to Legal aid a threat to our democracy - a photo essay

Too thick to pick:The hashtag #toothicktopick caught on very quickly.

Grayling recently interviewed by the Law Society Gazette was given a fair opportunity to put across his views, and did so, explaining that quality would be ‘absolutely essential’ he dismissed concerns that large companies with other MoJ contracts, such as Serco and G4S, will get contracts as ‘scare stories’ circulated by opponents of the reforms.

When asked about the proposal to remove client choice, he was less polished:

‘I don’t believe that most people who find themselves in our criminal justice system are great connoisseurs of legal skills. We know the people in our prisons and who come into our courts often come from the most difficult and challenged backgrounds.’

Such an opinion is startling, and demonstrative of the elitism which the Conservatives have strived to rid from their party – at least outwardly.

 Is the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice really suggesting that clients are not bright enough to exercise a freedom of choice over who they want to represent them?

This was picked up on Twitter and, unsurprisingly, not well received. The hashtag #toothicktopick caught on very quickly.



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