Captain Mainwaring goes head to head with the Isle of Man Law Society

Alf Cannan MHK the current Manx Treasury Minister and COMIN - the Isle of Man's resident political Dad's Army - are set to go head to head with the Law Society.

As part of Alfs SAVE initiative he is rolling out a Public Defender System (PBS) which would effectively replace the provision of Legal Aid in criminal cases:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/law-society-doubts-legal...

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/save-progress-to-be-repo...

Such (PBS) have been tried elsewhere with mixed success as we pointed out last year:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1461262803922476&id=80...

There seems an inherent contradiction between the State prosecution and the State depending indeed it seems almost Soviet in style although no one would accuse Alf of ‘leftie’ leanings.

The Law Society are making a bit of a brouhaha about it but you have to wonder if their heart is in it. Most of the Athol Street brigade are involved in lucrative commercial works and the few Lawyers still prepared to provide a public service by sustaining Legal Aid are fair outweighed by the mob lining their pockets with the more lucrative arts of the profession.

It is however unusual for the government to pick a quarrel with Athol Street. Most politicians like Alf are more used to having their tummies tickled by the Athol Street brigade.

So how serious are the Law Society about mounting a challenge or will Legal Aid providing practices just become ‘low hanging fruit’ to be picked of by Alf and ‘his trusty subaltern’ Chris Thomas MHK.

Of course of interest is what the Chief Minister thinks - if he thinks anything at all!

Link sources:

Celtic League Mannin
Manx Radio