Cuts to legal help unite Hastings councillors in opposition

The government's planned cuts to legal help have faced criticisms from several quarters, the most recent being a group of councillors in Hastings.

These local politicians met as Hastings Borough Council and unanimously passed a motion that they should write to Ken Clarke, justice secretary, saying that they were in opposition to these reforms, the Hastings Observer reported.

Jay Kramer, deputy leader of HBS, said that the cuts to legal help were a "massive issue" for the town.

"Legal advice is vital here. We suffer from high levels of legal aid claims, and this support will have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable in our town," she said.

Conservative councillors also spoke out against the proposals, with councillor Andrew Gurney saying that the proposals were "ill-conceived".

Recently, a group of lawyers also wrote a letter to the Times, which said that asylum seekers will be left at risk by cuts to legal aid.

Published by Hannah Carr