The Cost of Civil Legal Aid

There is no better example of the times we live in, than the contrast in attitudes between Ursula Brannan and Hugh Strickland, witnesses before the Public Accounts Committee, on the effect of Legal Aid cuts.

One was armed with the facts, prepared with his arguments, and ready to justify his organisation. The other gave the impression that the MPs were lucky she had bothered to turn up.

One provided evidence based research to demonstrate why his organisation should continue to exist, while the other claimed to be acting on evidence, then realised that she wasn’t, when cross examined by Ms Hodge.

One runs an organisation whose future is so precarious that he doesn’t know whether it will be funded next year. The other is responsible for implementing Legal Aid cuts, and irritated that people weren’t a little more grateful for her hard work.

Hugh Strickland represented the Citizens Advice Bureau, and Ursula Brannan represented the Ministry of Justice. This spectacle makes up the first section of the BBC iPlayer clip (available until 6th Jan).

“Labour Slashed Crime!”

Labour didn’t cut crime. Labour slashed crime. But don’t take my word for it; take the word of Simon Reed, Vice Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, speaking at the Progress conference on Saturday.

It deserves repeating as the name of the event was “Crime, Law and Order: Can Labour win the argument again?” According to this official representative of our rank and file police officers, “You didn’t cut crime, you slashed crime. You have a proud record.”

My photo of Simon Reed and Yvette Cooper at the event

We are aware that we saw a fall in crime during our 13 year tenure of office. We’re also aware that our policies were responsible for that fall.

“Labour Slashed Crime!”

Labour didn’t cut crime. Labour slashed crime. But don’t take my word for it; take the word of Simon Reed, Vice Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, speaking at the Progress conference on Saturday.

It deserves repeating as the name of the event was “Crime, Law and Order: Can Labour win the argument again?” According to this official representative of our rank and file police officers, “You didn’t cut crime, you slashed crime. You have a proud record.”

My photo of Simon Reed and Yvette Cooper at the event

We are aware that we saw a fall in crime during our 13 year tenure of office. We’re also aware that our policies were responsible for that fall.