
Ben Gummer, Conservative MP for Ipswich. You can tell he's a twunt well before he opens his mouth and confirms it.
The Guardian article where that picture is featured -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/jun/ ... s-concerns - does a brilliant demolition job. This passage is particularly revealing:
Quote:
Unlike soldiers, nurses and teachers, who are subject to a two-year pay freeze, these courageous lawyers need more cash," said Gummer. Lawyers are easy prey when it comes to politics and these tactics are cheap. No representative body for the profession, including the Law Society and Bar Council, has argued for more money.
Gummer acknowledged that "most family barristers and solicitors are passionate about what they do and many are paid modestly." The Family Advocacy Scheme, implemented last month, introduces cuts of 12.5% and we now know that family lawyers will receive a further 10% cut in October. A pay freeze would be met with cheers by my colleagues.
Not only that, but legal aid hourly rates haven't been raised for 15 years. The army would be a dead duck if they had frozen soldiers' pay for that long.