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Veil-case legal centre funds may be cut
William Green Political Correspondent FUNDING for the law centre representing the Muslim teaching assistant suspended for wearing a veil during lessons may be cut as controversy over the case rages on.
Kirklees Council has provided 68,000 in funding for Kirklees Law Centre this year, but is understood to want to review its relationship after spending 20,000 so far on defending itself from an employment tribunal case brought by teaching assistant Aishah Azmi.
The legal centre supported her after she was suspended from Headfield Church of England Junior School, in Dewsbury, after council chiefs said face-to-face communication was vital for her job as a bilingual support worker.
The tribunal ruled on Thursday that she was not discriminated against or harassed, but upheld her claim she was victimised and awarded her 1,100.
Mrs Azmi, 24, of Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, remains suspended on full pay estimated to be between 10,000 and 13,000.
Her lawyer also said yesterday he was hopeful of securing legal aid to continue her fight, and insisted the case – paid by legal aid – had so far only cost the public "in the hundreds of pounds".
Nick Whittingham, of Kirklees Law Centre, admitted he had applied for "exceptional funding" to cover legal representation at the five-day tribunal hearing earlier this month which, if awarded, would be in the 5,000 to 10,000 range.
He also expressed concern about any cut in council funding for the centre, which receives 250,000 a year, with half of that sum coming from the Legal Services Commission for legal aid work. The remainder is made up of cash from the Disability Rights Commission for a specific project and the council.
"We are an independent law centre and it is a fundamental principle of legal advice that we must be independent. If we were required to do what our funders required, that would breach all principles of giving independent advice and the council well understood that we may take cases against it.
"I would add funding for this case is from legal aid," said Mr Whittingham.
He added that the centre helped around 600 people a year, most of whom had nothing to do with the council. It helps people unable to afford a solicitor to deal with issues like immigration, employment and benefits.
Last night, Kirklees Council leader Robert Light said he was frustrated at the expense and energy spent on the case and would have preferred the money to have gone to Dewsbury schools.
But he called for calm after an intense debate that sparked interventions even from the Prime Minister, so the school can concentrate on its primary role.
Mr Light added that the council will study the tribunal's ruling in detail.
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Should public money have been used to pay for the legal action of the Muslim classroom assistant in the veil row?
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YESTERDAY'S RESULT
Was teaching assistant Aishah Azmi discriminated against when she was asked to remove her veil during lessons?
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YOUR VIEWS:
H Westwood, Featherstone: "I would like to know how Ms Aishah Azmi got her legal aid as stated in Saturdays Post seeing as she is reported to be on full suspended pay of 10 to 13 thousand pounds. Again it looks like a law for one and another law for others. If anyone wants legal aid no matter what their financial status is I suggest you wear a veil."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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