BARRISTERS opposed to legal aid cuts staged a protest outside Harrow Crown Court.
The advocates in full wigs and robes held a Save The Criminal Justice System banner outside the Hailsham Drive, Harrow, building on Tuesday to demonstrate against the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) reduction of the set fees received by counsel.
Criminal barrister Paul Prior, who has organised a banner tour of courts, said: “We got quite good support. Almost everybody in the robing room came out - and that was on one day’s notice.
“The Government since 2002 has cut legal aid to barristers by 41 per cent and is now proposing a further 6 per cent cut.
“We feel it is simply unsustainable because we will no longer be attract the very best people to become barristers and in many cases it will be uneconomical to take on cases because there will be not be enough money left over after deducting up 22 per cent chamber fees, travel and expenses to make a reasonable profit.”
Mr Prior, who said 95 per cent of his income comes from legal aid and just five per cent from private work, said the lobbying of justice sectetary Chris Grayling to reverse the £220million cuts will continue.
