Legal aid is a tough sell. As it is easily linked to front-page splashes about taxpayer money being used to help criminals, many find it difficult to appreciate that legal aid could become a lifeline for any one of us, at any time. Most recently, the news that Shamima Begum was granted legal aid to appeal against the decision to revoke her citizenship sparked fury amongst commentators and members of the public.
Yet, it is in everyone’s interests to know whether such life-changing decisions made by the Home Office are made lawfully. In a fair and democratic society, actions of the state cannot go unchecked, as the Windrush scandal has made clear.
Whether someone has been unfairly dismissed by their employer, has lost access to