Collision courseJust a week after the Lord Chancellor announced that remuneration for civil legal aid solicitors is to rise significantly, it seems the government is hell-bent on maintaining a collision course with specialist criminal law practitioners.Negotiations regarding the criminal contract have been long and delicate; but now the clock ticks inexorably towards crunch time.

This week more than 60 criminal law specialist firms in London have signed a declaration of support for the Law Society Council's resolute stance that contacts should not be signed until they are deemed 'fair and workable and the rates of remuneration are fair and reasonable'.Many more are expected to sign and most of the major practices are already represented.

The solidarity that is so vital if solicitors are to stand firm is developing.Those practices, and others nationwide, say they will continue to provide services under the current legal aid arrangements even if no agreement is reached by April.

In a letter in the Gazette, the LSC's chief executive has said only those firms that have signed the contract will be able receive commission funds (see page 18).

This is developing into a conflict, replete with allegations of crafty manoeuvring.The simple solution is for Lord Irvine to play fair with criminal law specialists in the same way he began to last week with family and social welfare practitioners.

If not, this could develop into a general election issue for many solicitors.