MANY of the court cases that have grabbed the headlines in recent years have centred more on the vast amounts of legal aid cash that has been involved than on the issues of guilt or innocence.

But however commendable the Government moves to prevent the nation's legal aid bill spiralling out of control, sufficient safeguards must be retained to ensure that ordinary citizens have the financial resources to achieve full justice when it is due. Having to drop cases, or settle for insignificant damages out of court, because legal aid money is running out is totally unfair on those in the right.

MP Brian Iddon's moves to help a Bolton woman in a legal aid dilemma, involving a battle for justice spanning several years, is an instance of the necessity for safety-nets to be retained for such cases, in the light of forthcoming Government overhauls of the system.

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