Monday, September 22, 2008

First Minister’s Bute House residence to be focus of protests against corrupt regulation in Scots legal system

St Andrew's House demo 6The Scottish Government’s lack of motivation to reform regulation of the corrupt Scots legal profession has led to calls for the sacking of Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, with consumer organisations and individuals promising regular protests and demonstrations outside the First Minister’s residence, other Scottish Government buildings, and the Scottish Parliament itself until something substantive is done to raise levels of consumer protection against what many see as a wicked and unjust legal system serving only itself.

Bute House demo 1Last week, the first in a series of protests was staged at Alex Salmond’s Bute House residence, to hammer home to him personally, the fact his government is playing second fiddle to the Law Society of Scotland over the creation and running of the new, but not independent Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.

One of the protestors outside Bute House said “Why are our own people betraying us now they are in Government ? Some SNP Ministers such as John Swinney made great contributions to the debate and passage of legislation to reform regulation of lawyers but now they are in power, they are allowing the legal profession and the Law Society to take over the new complaints commission”

John SwinneyWhatever happened to John Swinney MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, who was instrumental in revealing corrupt practices by the Law Society of Scotland and its top officials against victimised clients. Mr Swinney was so effective in his quest while in opposition, many believe his confrontation with Douglas Mill, led to his resignation.

John Swinney confronts Law Society Chief Exec. Douglas Mill at Holyrood, but now in power, Mr Swinney appears weak on regulatory reforms & consumer protection against crooked lawyers.

Sacl letter to Alex SalmondA letter was handed in by protestors to St Andrew’s House, charging that “The recruitment of the staff of the Law Society of Scotland’s Client Relations Office, is the single act which has the greatest effect of undermining of trust that the public can place in the new Commission. These are the same people who caused the collapse of confidence of the public in the first place. Their conduct of complaints led to unprecedented criticism from the former Ombudsman, the Scottish Consumer Council et al. Even in the absence of their former masters, Mr. Douglas Mill and Mr. Philip Yelland, their presence in senior positions in the SLCC is entirely inappropriate given the intention of the Commission was “restoring consumer confidence”.

Clearly, there are problems at the new ‘independent’ Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, as I have covered before in previous articles you can read here : Justice Secretary 'lacking leadership' over independence of legal complaints commission

It is easy to see the Law Society of Scotland, whose aim it is to retain control of regulation, have found easy bedfellows with the current administration, who have evidently allowed the Law Society to ensure its staff have the greatest say in what was to be a new independent complaints commission, sadly no longer independent as Mr MacAskilll waved through ex Law Society Committee members and other legal profession insiders to ensure it towed the profession’s line against client complaints.

Alex SalmondAlex Salmond – Protestors who appeared last week at Bute House campaigning against the Law Society’s co-opting of the new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission have been told he has no authority to help thousands of victims of the legal profession ? Surely not …

A well placed legal insider, who saw last week’s Bute House demonstration by victims of the legal profession, blasted the SNP for allowing the Law Society to co-opt the new Complaints Commission : “The fact it is the current Scottish Government is a minority administration which needs allies such as the legal profession to maintain it’s tenuous grasp on power, the public can forget about getting justice against large corporations, corrupt professions such as lawyers or party sponsors and donors until someone makes so much trouble things will have to change”

Quite an indictment of things as they stand then .. and little wonder people feel they must take to the streets, even with our own Scottish people supposedly running the Government now … but why is the legal profession being allowed to get away with murder by the SNP ?

Bute House demo Leaflet 1One of the leaflets handed out by protestors at Bute House last week, charged the Law Society of Scotland with being the “puppet master” of the Scots justice system, ensuring its own survival as regulator of the Scots legal profession at the expense of consumers and the Scots public.

The Lord President, Lord Hamilton, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, and First Minister Alex Salmond all come in for criticism in the leaflet, allowing the Law Society’s very public ‘take over’ of the new Complaints Commission.

Bute House demo 2Protestors outside Bute House : Victims of a dishonest legal profession surely have a right to know why the Scottish Government is still allowing people to be continually abused by crooked lawyers and corrupt, prejudiced regulation of the legal profession. As some point out : Is there a profitable reason for allowing the legal establishment to continue to ruin lives and continue its dictatorial approach to anything which may affect its position in public life ?

So much could be achieved and so many lives put right, by just a little effort to heal the sins of the past .. but why is that so difficult to enact ? How about it Alex ? make the effort and do some good ? We are all Scots now, aren’t we ?

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes thats right.Stand your ground against your fellow Scots who are screwing you right left and centre now they are in power.
Have you heard the one about the snp msp who just had another mortgage freebie?

Anonymous said...

How much funding are the SNP getting from lawyers?Anyone bothered to check their donations lately?
Could there be a few of these 0.99p donations coming from the lawyers as an arm twisting bribe to stop these reforms you are talking about?

Anonymous said...

Yes I agree, quite disconcerting that Alex Salmond sides with those who are ruining peoples lives for profit.
Maybe he needs a taste of it himself so he can experience what a few thousand other people get each year from their lawyers?

Anonymous said...

For fucks sake Alex will you pay this lot off so we can all live in peace!

Anonymous said...

Hi Peter

Exellent article as always.

There is no doubt that regular protests at Bute House (preferably on Cabinet Tuesdays, when I was there and intend to go again and again if need be... ), St Andrew's House, the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Crown Office, Law Society of Scotland and other buildings of relevance in Edinburgh is the way to go and the way to draw attention to all your cases of injustice.

There is probably no bigger injustice in Scotland today than the appalling case which is highlighted in the Press Release linked above and below. How can I assert such a bold statement like that? Simple folks ... the case has been covered up by Messrs Salmond, MacAskill, Ms Sturgeon and several others within the SNP hierarchy over the past few years. It can get no worse for any citizen of any country than for its rulers to abuse their power and privilege in such a way as they have in this case of theft of a family's property, criminal collusion and a gross perversion of justice ... all coming from Bute House and the Justice Department too. Despicable.

If those named above don't like these allegations, then I do what I have done from the outset in this appalliong case and lay down my challenge to you all one more time: take this case to court and sue the family concerned ... and we will see what transpires once and for all.

Alternatively, you will hopefully adhere to my repeated request for that meeting at Bute House to try to resolve this very sad, tragic and appalling case of abuse and neglect over several years ... which Mr MacAskill was fully aware of from August 1999 when he became involved as a newly elected MSP, and thereafter continually turned a blind eye, challenged none of his Edinburgh establishment buddies involved and covered up for everyone. Right or wrong Kenny?

Resign sir ... you are a disgrace to the office you hold and to your 5 million fellow Scots ... who will NEVER obtain proper justice whilst you are in charge and continue to abuse your office as you do.

Do us all a favour and go now ... but remember to hand over those very damning files and photographs in your possession before you do so...

Be seeing you soon I hope!

Thanks again Peter ... pity our law makers at Bute House, the Justice Department and the Scots Parliament didn't have your sense of fair play and justice!

All the very best as ever.
__________

Press Release, Sunday 21 September 2008

http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/340629/Press+Release%2C+Sun+21-09-08.doc

Anonymous said...

An excellent article succintly and accurately presenting the facts which have seen the Scottish Public denied any meaningful or proper access to justice for many years.

Typical that Swinney - now inside the tent - should now suddenly become mute. Doubtless he considers this a price worth paying.....

Anonymous said...

Good story.I have been writing to that shit MacAskill for 6 months over how the Law Society and that Ombudsman let our bent lawyers off the hook so I will be there to join them next time around.
Anyone who protects a crooked lawyer is a bastard - you can just tell it.

Anonymous said...

Interesting story and I hope plenty others find the time to go sit at Salmond's door and tell him his Justice Minister is a waste of space along with most of Scotland's judiciary.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why you ever gave Swinney so much credit for what he said about Mill and the memos.He picks and chooses his constituents problems to help and sends the rest off to list msps he doesn't want to know about.

Not surprising about MacAskill because he is a lawyer anyway and Swinney being an accountant isnt far off.

Anonymous said...

"So much could be achieved and so many lives put right, by just a little effort to heal the sins of the past .. but why is that so difficult to enact ? How about it Alex ? make the effort and do some good ? We are all Scots now, aren’t we ?"

Yes Peter but the money to fund politicians like Alex Salmond comes from professions such as lawyers whether they are crooked or not so don't expect that to get through to him.Remember these people would eat babies to get party funding or they are no more if they have no money.

In fact there's a thought!
How many crooked lawyers have made political donations?Get the answer to that one and you might make a few faces go red!

Anonymous said...

Clever linkage of the Swinney before and after experience.He and his party now have the problem of supporting what is widely known as a corrupt profession.
If I may offer some tips.
That 'leaflet' is far too high brow for the general public and could do with a make over into something which makes a lot more sense.
These demonstrations will have to be attended by more people than appear in the photos and me more regular.
Names must be named and I mean some lawyers or their legal firms.
Keep us informed of developments please !

Anonymous said...

Impressive that someone has the guts to go and protest against lawyers.
Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Swinney is actually in Hong Kong just now begging for money, so I doubt he will be bothered about his poor constituents who elected him.
Better get yourself a new political representative that is if there are any honest ones actually in Scotland which seems not!

Anonymous said...

Salmond cares about lawyers victims as much as he cares about depositors to HBOS and that's a big fat ZERO.
He is only interested in the company and the clout it gives him as FM.Same goes for Swinney.The little man and all you injustice lot don't score points in his world but its good to see you all waking up to that now.

Anonymous said...

I think you need to encourage something like the miners strike to get somewhere on this because those bloody lawyers control just about everything these days including media coverage.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Anonymous said...

Interesting comments on this one.

Why are the SNP supporting the Law Society? There has to be money in it for them to do that surely

Anonymous said...

I'm sure wee eck is quaking in his boots.You will have to do better than this to cause a stooshie in chez Salmond.
How about breaking a few scandals on some of his bent party members instead?Plenty papers just willing to take those to the front page don't you know!

Anonymous said...

I liked the comment about Alex Salmond and HBOS.

You are spot on of course.If the Bank had failed Salmond wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing on his own and had it not been for the Bank of England and LloydsTSB the whole country would have been plunged into disaster.
Mr Salmond though wont be grateful,preferring the politics of diversion to spin it round as yet something else to blame on the English.
Perhaps you should ask Westminster to reform your crooked lawyers if Salmond isn't up to the job.

Anonymous said...

Great work people keep up the protests against crooked lawyers and their friends in power.

Anonymous said...

I suggest you begin to look into the finances and backgrounds of some of these politicians and see what they are personally doing with relation to legal services.
You may find some of them are getting free work done from the profession in return for blocking reforms or new legislation you are talking about.
In other words,bribes.

Anonymous said...

Let me know next time you are protesting and I will bring along a few of my colleagues to protest against MacAskill's legal aid cuts.

Good luck,we are both on the same side even though you may hate a solicitor for saying as much !

Anonymous said...

Lawyers and clients protesting together ??? Whatever next ???

Anonymous said...

I for one would be happy to contribute to these protests.
I have been towing the line with the Law Society over my complaint against our VERY CROOKED lawyer and have got nowhere.Its about time all that stopped and everyone who complained against their lawyer and got nowhere should also show up.

Anonymous said...

Good story but you need more numbers.Keep up the good work anyway Mr Cherbi and eveyrone who is at least trying instead of doing nothing.

Anonymous said...

This is my advice to everyone considering protesting outside Bute House ... an idea I first raised on Peter's blog last year, and have been there myself of course for injustice related cases...

Gather any Cabinet Tuesday when these crooks and imposters (who are doing NOTHING about injustice in Scotland) turn up in their Ministerial Volvos and nail them then ... especially that corrupt, crooked and rotten INjustice Secretary who, along with his master, King Alex, even covers up years-old abuse and neglect cases no less (rebuttal please!), to save his political career ... ain't that right guys?! Still refusing to meet I see ... or sue either. I wonder why?!

I await your reply to my request for a formal meeting about the appalling Mr X abuse and neglect scandal at Bute House and hope it doesn't have to be fought and exposed on the doorstep of Bute House ... along with the thousands of other injustice victims out there in Scotland today.

In the meantime fellow injustice victims, start to write to Salmond, MacAskill, Sturgeon, Swinney, Hyslop, Lochhead et al and let them know about your cases of injustice and intentions to doorstep them until something is done to address your injustice.

They'll soon get the message loud and clear ...

"Letters To Alex Salmond"

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/sutra1840.php#1840

Press Release, Sunday 21 September 2008

http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/340629/Press+Release%2C+Sun+21-09-08.doc

http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/2008/09/first-ministers-bute-house-residence-to.html?showComment=1222101000000#c1338398924536838393

I think my idea is starting to take off Peter ... let's hope we can do this in a properly organised fashion with substantial numbers as soon as we can get something organised for that INJUSTICE GATHERING at Bute House...

My thinking is on any Cabinet Tuesday as I suggest above, and on International Human Rights Day, which this year marks the 60th Anniversary of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - which I have known about and supported for many years.

So, Tuesday the 9th and Wednesday the 10th of December 2008 outside Bute House for an organised INJUSTICE GATHERING / VIGIL to highlight all our cases of injustice and for Salmond to act and no longer turn a blind eye ... and to sack his INjustice Secretary, MacAskill, who is as crooked, corrupt and rotten as you can get ... as the appalling Mr X abuse and neglect case proves beyond any doubt ... rebuttal again please!

All those interested in attending such an event could perhaps say so here on Peter's blog or you can contact me here and we'll get this INJUSTICE GATHERING / VIGIL organised together :

NoJusticeFromSNP@aol.com

All the very best Peter. And thanks for your continuing support with this terrible perversion of the truth and justice at the murky hands of those charlatans named above.

Sic a parcel o rogues indeed!

Anonymous said...

"Justice, Integrity, Compassion, Wisdom"...

These, of course, are the four words inscribed on the Mace at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood in Edinburgh.

Trouble is, I certainly don't see Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond; the INjustice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill; or this SNP "Government" living up to any of these fine words - nor ANY Scottish politico for that matter.

I mean, what have they done to tackle your injustice? Have they really helped you and taken on the authorities on your behalf? Have they really ever challenged the local authority, local constabulary, legal profession, Law Society, judiciary or any of Scotland's institutions for you? I mean really and properly challenged any of these institutions? I doubt that very much.

The reason, quite simply, is that Scotland's politicos are too in bed with Scotland's legal establishment and institutions to do anything for you. The whole political and legal system is so incestuous, rotten and corrupt it's akin to any Banana Republic on the planet.

Good luck to everyone out there seeking the truth and justice. But you will NEVER find it amongst those 129 charlatans at Holyrood, and that's a fact. That reminds me: What do you call 129 MSPs at the bottom of the North Sea? A good start!

On a serious note, my best wishes and good luck to all of you out there seeking the truth and justice for yourself or your loved ones.

Believe me, in Scotland, you need it ... cause the "justice system" is one of the most corrupt on the planet ... especially when Scotland's politicos are so in bed with those legal masters.

It's as rotten, corrupt and incestuous as you will find anywhere in the world.

True or false? I think we all know the answer to that... !

I wish you all well in your pursuit of justice in Scotland.

Justice, Integrity...