Vince Cable

Several local solicitors have warned MP Vincent Cable that if the Lord Chancellor pushes through his proposed reforms in legal aid many middle income people, currently eligible, will not be able to get proper representation on criminal cases, and professional negligence, among others.

Vincent Cable said: "the government is trying to crack down on spiralling legal aid costs but many of the problems are of its own making such as highly inefficient court proceedings. Also much of the cost goes in a few high profile cases which last for a long time and involve big fees for silks (QCs). The worry of the solicitors is that the bread and butter of legal aid work will go."

"At present the system favours the very rich for whom legal cost are not problem (like the owner of Harrods, Mr Fayed) or the very few who can get legal aid if they are on income support. Middle class families are squeezed out. They cannot afford litigation even if they are in the right. The new proposals will make things a lot worse"