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In 1929 a former President of the Law Society, Isacc Foot MP, introduced in Parliament the 1929 Poor Prisoners' Defence Act, which was the inspiration for the 1949 Legal Aid and Advice Act.

He argued at the time, that a poor prisoner should be in no worse position to defend his innocence than a rich prisoner.

88 years later have we gone full circle? Has society, and in particular the MPs who are supposed to reflect its views, now understood, that following the dreadful Grenfell Tower tragedy, you cannot keep bashing the lawyers and starving the justice budget both civil and criminal of resources, if the Rule of Law is to work effectively in the U.K.

The Rule of Law is the engine of a modern democracy, and it is shameful, that the leaders of the legal profession are not trumpeting this fundamental principle from the rooftops.

The vulnerable in the community generally, as well as the victims of this dreadful fire, need real, well resourced advice, not trite promises.