It was announced the 22nd September 2015 by Lord Falconer, the Labour’s Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Justice Secretary, that Labour has appointed Lord Bach to undergo an immediate review of legal aid.
Legal aid was reformed under the Coalition and has had a massive impact on access to justice, leaving many without access to legal advice or representation. Lord Bach’s review – which will start immediately – will therefore look into the consequences of the reforms and propose further reforms.
The leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn MP stated:
“I have asked Willy Bach, the former Shadow Attorney General, to undertake an immediate review of the assault on Legal Aid by the Government over the last five years. This has resulted in many of our fellow citizens, often the poor and marginalised not being able to get advice or representation when they are faced with legal problems such as housing, welfare benefits, debt and employment. Many vital advice services, including Law Centres, have had to close.”
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