Stop the cuts to legal aid

Dear Linda,

On Tuesday, MPs will vote on the government's cuts to legal aid. Over the last few months, the House of Lords have made some vital changes to the plans. Their changes would protect children, domestic violence victims and disabled people from the worst of the legal aid cuts. [1] But there’s a real danger that all this good work could go to waste.

MPs have a choice. They could back the Lords to stop the worst of the cuts. Or they could vote to stick with the government’s original plans. [2]

We only have a few days left before the vote. The government will be trying to persuade MPs to reverse the Lords’ changes. Now, we need to work together to persuade MPs not to give in to the government's pressure, and stand up for legal aid by voting for the House of Lords' amendments.

Click here to email your MP - it only takes 2 minutes:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/legal-aid-MP-vote

Lots of people have spoken out against the government’s plans. Lords and Baronesses have been joined by influential Lib Dem MPs like Simon Hughes and Tom Brake, as well as experts from groups including Scope, Women’s Aid, and single parent charity Gingerbread. [3]

Now we need to make sure MPs hear from their voters too. Together we can make it clear that we don’t want them to undo the House of Lords’ good work. If enough of us email our MPs, 38 Degrees members can convince them to go to the critical vote and back the House of Lords’ changes.

Fiona Weir from Gingerbread, the charity for single parents, believes 38 Degrees members are vital to getting the vote to go the right way: “We’ve got to make these changes stick when the Bill returns to the Commons. Action from 38 Degrees members can help to tip the balance between a bill that fails victims of domestic violence and their children or a bill that protects them”. [4]

Click here to email your MP:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/legal-aid-MP-vote

The government’s legal aid changes could mean that disabled people, children and victims of domestic violence will suffer most. [5] That's why senior lawyers warn that these changes will be "bad for children, bad for women and bad for families.” [6]

It’s going to be close. But time and again, 38 Degrees members have taken action to stand up for what’s fair. We’ve challenged the government when they’ve turned a blind eye to tax dodgers. [7] And we made it clear that we won’t put up with intrusive government plans to monitor our emails. [8]

It takes 2 minutes to email your MP. Click here to get started:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/legal-aid-MP-vote


Thanks for being involved,

Becky, Cian, Hannah, James, Marie, David and the 38 Degrees team


PS: There are local elections happening in lots of places all over the UK on 3rd May. To be able to vote, you need to register before 18th April. Click here to register:
https://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/electoral_registration_applica.aspx

NOTES:
[1] Legal aid reforms face defeat in the Lords: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/mar/03/legal-aid-reforms-face-defeat
[2] Families hit by legal aid cuts: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10900573, Scope report uncovers impact of legal aid cuts on disabled people: http://www.scope.org.uk/news/legal-aid-cuts-on-disabled-people
[3] Lib Dem MPs rebel against proposals to cut legal aid funding: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/oct/28/lib-dem-legal-aid-rebellion
[4] To find out more about Gingerbread, click here: http://www.gingerbread.org.uk
[5] Do legal aid reforms protect the needy?: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-legal-aid-reforms-wont-protect-the-needy/8844
[6] According to Stephen Cobb QC, chairman of the Family Law Bar Association: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15426473
[7] Read more here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/hmrc-hand-in
[8] Read more here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/stop-government-snooping-blog