Dear All
The campaign by lawyers against the SNP
Government for trying to deny the poor access to justice continues apace.
The latest escalation sees hundreds of
Edinburgh solicitors pulled out of a vital legal aid scheme; this means they
will take no part in the Police Station Duty Scheme for Edinburgh Sheriff Court
in the first quarter of 2013.
The problem is Scotland’s inept and
incompetent Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, who is just Salmond’s crony; he
is pocketing a ministerial salary while being out of his depth and out of
touch.
Although Scotland hasn’t had a proper
Justice Minister since 2007, this latest incompetence cannot and will not
remove the stain of Megrahi from MacAskill’s record.
He carries that shame to the grave.
The Edinburgh Bar Association (EBA) has 31
firms in its and their withdrawal throws justice into chaos, Police station
detainees are entitled to access to legal advice, they can only be held for a maximum
of 24 hours.
This provision has to be available day or
night.
No Lawyers means Police will be forced to
wait to interview suspects, possibly this could result in more injustices
happening; and all because MacAskill wanted to save a few miserable pennies.
It is expected as a racing certainty that
other associations will climb onboard and follow the EBA example to protest at
controversial plans by the Scottish Government to change legal aid.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government
said:
"This action by the EBA, which seeks
to put the criminal justice system at risk for the convenience of solicitors,
is extremely disappointing and attacking the police station duty scheme in this
way is totally unjustified."
Fuck you sycophant.
Unsurprisingly the Scottish Legal Aid Board
(Slab), which runs the Police duty scheme, added that action "appears to
risk damage to the justice system". Lukewarm response and trying to tread
a thin line, but slightly edging towards the government, at least in public!
Cameron Tait, EBA president, said the
action may cause delays in policing.
In a letter to Slab, he said:
"This is in protest at the planned
expansion of contributions in criminal legal assistance and their collection. It
is also a protest against the position adopted by Slab and the Justice
Secretary in the public domain over these issues. This Association is of the
view that Slab and the Scottish Government are making little secret of the lack
of value they attach to the service which is provided to the public and to the
Criminal Justice System as a whole by the independent criminal bar in
Scotland."
At a recent lawyers meeting which touched
on independence, they were asked who supported indy, according to reports, not
a single hand in the room went up.
Not a single hand!
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill wants
those with a disposable income of £82 a week or more to pay a contribution to
their legal aid, but lawyers claim this will limit access to justice.
This means an innocent person at the start
of proceedings is effectively fined for being innocent.
What kind of justice is that?
Justice in the SNP Government is largely
seen a joke, the idea that Scottish people looking at what is happening are
going to vote for independence when MacAskill is fashioning a Justice system
fit for a third world country is risible.
Mr Tait added:
"Slab and Government ministers refuse
to discuss sensible alternatives for collection of summary contributions. We
believe it is clear that Slab is now directing Government policy, is capable of
riding roughshod over the considered views of Parliamentary Committees, and is
pursuing a policy of attrition against the independent criminal bar."
As a minority government the SNP was forced
to constrain their stupidity, however a majority has allowed them to show utter
contempt for people and human rights, Alex Salmond has outstayed his welcome
among Scots.
Some people tell me they are embarrassed when
they meet new political people to tell them they are in the Scottish National Party,
I can understand why.
The talent and the caliber are not there at
the top, the majority has allowed this to come out.
This quote by Winston Churchill sums Kenny MacAskill rather well:
"I had hoped that we were hurling a wildcat onto the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale."
This quote by Winston Churchill sums Kenny MacAskill rather well:
"I had hoped that we were hurling a wildcat onto the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale."
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow
university
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