Grayling jumps to defence of legal aid plan

Appearing before the House of Commons Justice Select Committee yesterday, Chris Grayling 
said he did not accept that plans to pay lawyers the same fee for a not guilty plea as they would be paid for a guilty plea, which typically takes up less of their time, would lead to undue influence to plead.

And he denied performing a “U-turn” over plans to remove a client’s right to choose a solicitor after he wrote to the committee in advance to announce his intention to rework the proposal.

Mr Grayling has announced a raft of reforms in his “transforming legal aid” consultation to save £220m a year.

Solicitors and barristers have argued that the plans could destroy the justice system in England and Wales.