The TUC has today (Monday) accused the government of betraying the legacy of the Magna Carta by weakening people’s rights to justice and selling-off public services.
Protests will be held today in Westminster by unions and legal campaigners outside the Global Law Summit, which is being hosted by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.
TUC Assistant General Secretary Paul Nowak, who will speak at a rally outside the summit, said:
“The government’s privatisation of the criminal justice system has stripped power away from local communities and given it to big business.
“The only rights the Justice Secretary is concerned with protecting are those of wealthy corporations that he wants to bid for our public services.
“On his watch there have been massive cuts to courts, policing, legal aid and other forms of victim support. And he wants to make it harder for people to stop ministers acting unlawfully by limiting judicial review.
“This government has priced workers out of justice by introducing tribunal fees. And now the Conservative Party has announced plans to effectively outlaw the right to strike.”
The protest rally will take place at Old Palace Yard between 1 and 2pm on Monday 23 February. Speakers will include actress Maxine Peake, who will read a section of the Magna Carta that will then be delivered to the Summit.
Monday’s rally follows a march by campaigners from Runnymeade, where the Magna Carta was signed, to London.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
– The TUC is organising Fair Pay Fortnight 2015 between Monday 16 February and Sunday 1 March. The Fortnight is part of the TUC’s Britain Needs a Pay Rise campaign and will feature a series of events across England and Wales to raise awareness about low pay, pay inequality and the need for higher pay settlements in the public and private sector. For more information please visit www.fairpayfortnight.org
– All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
– Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews
Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Alex Rossiter T: 020 7467 1285 M: 07887 572130 E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07876 452902 E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk
Clare Santry T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: csantry@tuc.org.uk
