Law and Legal Affairs: Society unveils 'election manifesto' to MSPs

Published on Friday 14 January 2011 11:22

THE Law Society of Scotland will this week launch its first "political" manifesto for 12 years.

President Jamie Millar, who will present the document to MSPs on Wednesday, said the timing seemed right for the society to set out its position in a number of key areas affecting the law in Scotland.

"All elections matter, but the one in May really counts," said Millar. "Whatever the colour of government, it will have to take forward a significant reduction in public spending.

"The society has called for a mature debate on how best to deliver public access to the justice system. We have held discussions on the legal aid budget and we hope our manifesto will have a role in framing ideas and opportunities for reforming the legal system generally."

During a series of seminars last autumn, the society took the temperature of its members, but also talked to a range of other organisations - including businesses, universities, public bodies, enterprises and charities - to discuss how they interact with the legal system in Scotland.

Millar said he hopes there are a few "novel ideas" in the manifesto, but preferred to keep them under wraps until he and his vice-president, Cameron Ritchie, had briefed MSPs.

"We have to be apolitical and our manifesto is very much in the public interest. "We are excited about it and hope it shows that the legal profession takes the views of its 10,500 members very seriously, but also that it has a wider interest.

This is only the second time the Law Society has produced such a document. The first time was ahead of the inaugural elections to the Scottish Parliament elections in 1999.