Election 2015: take action
YLAL General Election notes – Vote on 7 May 2015
Register to vote – the last day is 20th April: http://igiveanx.co.uk/#two
Count down the days to the vote here.
Bite sized manifestos
All the major parties in England and Wales on legal aid in less than 140 characters (with thanks to YLAL Oliver Carter):
#GE2015 manifestos on #legalaid (1/5) – Conservatives: ‘continue to review our legal aid systems’ for access to justice in an efficient way
www.conservatives.com/manifesto
#GE2015 manifestos on #legalaid (2/5) – Labour: ensure access to legal representation not determined by wealth, widen access for DV victims
http://b.3cdn.net/labouruk/e1d45da42456423b8c_vwm6brbvb.pdf
#GE2015 manifestos on #legalaid (3/5) – Lib Dems: review criminal & civil legal aid & court fees; ensure legal aid available to all in need
#GE2015 manifestos on #legalaid (4/5) – Green Party: reverse all coalition cuts to legal aid at a cost of £700m per year
www.greenparty.org.uk/we-stand-for/2015-manifesto.html
#GE2015 manifestos on #legalaid (5/5) – Ukip: no mention of legal aid or access to justice, but fund 800 advisers to work at food banks
#GE2015 manifestos on #legalaid – Plaid: will reverse legal aid cuts for fair access to justice and will monitor implementation
www.partyof.wales/2015-manifesto/
Or take a look at these quotes and a handy chart by the Legal Aid Team:
www.legalaidteam.com/general-election/
The longer version…
Read a longer analysis of party manifestos on justice issues by Oliver Carter here:
http://thejusticegap.com/2015/04/voting-for-justice-what-do-the-manifestos-promise/
Who are your election candidates?
Search here: https://yournextmp.com You can find their email addresses, Twitter and facebook details via that link.
Take action
Ask questions of your election candidates using these resources. What do you want them to do for justice if elected?
Find local hustings where you can go along to hear candidates answer questions (and maybe put a legal aid question of your own to them): https://meetyournextmp.com
Attend the Vote for Justice rally on Thursday 23 April 1.30-5.30pm:
http://www.clsa.co.uk/index.php?q=VJR-Why-we-MUST-attend
***UPDATE*** Read a report on the event here, attended by YLAL Yvonne Kramo who also spoke to the rally: www.lawgazette.co.uk/practice/mersey-advice-beat/news/hundreds-of-solicitors-attend-vote-for-justice-rally/5048427.article
Watch and share the new Legal Aid Team film with others so they know why this matters. 370k views so far and counting – can you help it reach 500k by the election? www.facebook.com/theguardian/videos/10153236859531323/?fref=nf
Resources
Justice Alliance booklet:
https://justiceallianceuk.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/ja_prog_23feb2015_final.pdf
Email your candidates this film by the Justice Alliance:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjOigFHdVIY
Share this open letter to Nick Clegg especially with the Lib Dems:
https://justiceallianceuk.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ja-libdem_open_letter4-3.pdf
And these testimonials f
rom 100 different groups that care about legal aid:
https://justiceallianceuk.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ja-statements-22nov2013-2.pdf
Share this legal aid mythbuster:
https://justiceallianceuk.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/mythbuster1.pdf
Ask your candidate if they will sign up to the Legal Aid Practitioner Group’s manifesto for legal aid:
Send them our reports based on research with MPs and their caseworkers on how legal aid cuts can impact MPs’ ability to help constituents:
www.younglegalaidlawyers.org/sites/default/files/YLAL_Nowhere_else_to_turn.pdf
www.younglegalaidlawyers.org/sites/default/files/Nowhere%20else%20to%20turn_one%20year%20on.pdf
Share this story on recent YouGov poll: 84% of the public said access to justice is a fundamental right:
www.theguardian.com/law/2015/apr/13/justice-concern-free-healthcare-yougov-poll-legal-aid-cuts
After the election
Tips on contacting your MP to keep justice on the agenda: www.younglegalaidlawyers.org/meet-your-mp
And take a look at the powerpoint below.
Help us lobby MPs and peers in the new Parliament by joining our “All Party Group on legal aid subgroup”. We email parliamentarians when issues about access to justice arise and help organise meetings to brief them on current legal aid matters (http://www.apg-legalaid.org). Email ylalinfo@gmail.com to join the group.