Restore legal aid cuts to help overworked MPs

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/jun/01/restore-legal-aid-to-help-overworked-mps

Version 0 of 1.

Juliette Jowit highlights the problem of MPs so overloaded with constituency work that they struggle to influence national policy (The tragedy of the Commons: MPs too busy to do their jobs, Opinion, 28 May).

She identifies the four most common themes nationally: planning, housing, immigration and benefits. Perhaps if those same MPs had not voted to restrict legal aid in relation to housing, immigration and benefits they would be able to refer their constituents to firms and agencies able to help. These areas of law are complex and the influence of MPs overstated. What their constituents need are trained legal advisers able to help those too poor to pay. That is what legal aid used to be for.Diane AstinWestminster University