Commenting on reports that the government plans to restrict immigrants' access to legal aid, Law Society president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said:
'Immigration and access to public benefits are undoubtedly high on the list of voters' concerns. However, whether or not they get legal aid is not going to be a key factor in Romanians or Bulgarians choosing to live and work in the UK.
'Access to justice is not in the gift of the prime minister or anyone else. It is a cornerstone of our freedom, and belongs to everyone: the UK citizen arrested whilst on holiday abroad and the immigrant working in the UK.
'It is difficult to see how this proposal would be compatible with the treaty obligations the government is committed to supporting.'
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