Justice in Scotland is an utter and complete farce under SNP Minister Kenny MacAskill, “Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!”

Dear All

And so it goes on, the fight to get a new Justice Minister instead of an Alex Salmond crony hots up as Scotland’s defence lawyers are set to take a third day of action in protest at Government legal aid.

The SNP Government in true extreme right wing Tartan Tory mode has decided to hit the poor and reduce access to justice according to lawyers.

In unparalleled action Scottish lawyers have voted to withdraw their labour from custody courts around Scotland.

And it is all the fault of Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, appointing the wrong man to Justice.

Kenny MacAskill has publicly criticised the protest action, he doesn’t understand their concerns or want to, MacAskill is looking for the ‘outrage’ that will blot out the Megrahi stigma he carries round him.

We now see the legal profession ramping up it action as bar associations in Aberdeen, Perth, Dundee, Alloa, Falkirk, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Forfar and Arbroath refusing to represent new clients appearing from custody.

The system is in chaos and all to save a few miserable pennies!

The profession has continued to attempt to negotiate with the inept and incompetent Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill through the Law Society of Scotland and its Legal Aid Negotiation Team.

A line has to be drawn in the sand and action should call for the removal of MacAskill, enough is enough; its time that Alex Salmond started putting Scotland before his SNP cronies.

How bad is this situation?

A number of accused persons have had to represent themselves, their right to a fair trial is in doubt.

Gordon Martin, solicitor-advocate with the Dunfermline Faculty, said:

“Criminal defence lawyers in Dunfermline have unanimously decided to join in nationwide protest action against the Government’s attack on Access to Justice. The Justice Secretary appears unwilling to listen to those who do not agree with him. This does not augur well for a future independent Scotland.”

No Justice means no independence and the longer this situation goes on, the more the realisation how utterly incompetent and impotent the SNP Government has become.

Last week a think-tank warned lawyers could lose £3.1 million a year if proposed changes to legal aid are driven through. Front Line Policy, based in Edinburgh, says Ministry of Justice research of English cases suggests just 20 per cent of contributions are recovered.

What is emerging is the fact that this SNP Government is rapidly imploding, bad judgment and right wing ideology to deny human rights to Scots.

Cromwell famously said:

“You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!”

And that will end spreading to the entire SNP Government if the MacAskill problem isn’t dealt with.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University