Manchester law centre staff protest against funding cuts, photo Hugh Caffrey

Manchester law centre staff protest against funding cuts, photo Hugh Caffrey   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

South Manchester Law Centre provides free and affordable legal services to people on low incomes, and yet it has to fight for survival after cuts in funding.

As previously reported in The Socialist, the campaign applied for a judicial review and on 8 November it won permission to be heard in January.

So now the Legal Services Commission (LSC) is spending more money on court cases to enforce a cut in funding! The LSC forked out for a QC and barrister to oppose the campaign’s application for a judicial review, after losing a similar case in September over the funding of family law contracts.

Lobbying the LSC’s Manchester office on 15 November, campaigners chanted: “LSC justice – no justice!” The campaign distributed a statement, urging the LSC to “stop defending the indefensible. Instead of wasting further public funds on expensive lawyers they should restore funding to make South Manchester Law Centre sustainable”.

Manchester law centre staff protest against funding cuts, photo Hugh Caffrey

Manchester law centre staff protest against funding cuts, photo Hugh Caffrey   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

The campaign urges you to:

Send emails of protest to the LSC at [email protected] and [email protected]

Go to the website www.smlc.org.uk and Facebook group “Save South Manchester Law Centre”

Join the lobby of the council on 8 December from 9am, (the Shop Stewards Network will be lobbying from 7.30am), at the town hall in Albert Square, Manchester city centre

Join the campaign when the judicial review goes to court on 4 and 5 January, 9.30am, Manchester High Court, Bridge Street West, city centre.

The campaign meets every Tuesday evening. For more information contact [email protected] or call 0161 225 5111