Access to justice means funding access to justice. The introduction of legal aid was regarded as one of the pillars of the welfare state./ https://www.fabians.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bach-Commission-Appendix-6-F-1.pdf

Legal aid has not been cut as sharply in Scotland as in England and Wales, but across the UK real-terms cuts in legal aid have made it harder for people to enforce their basic rights in the courts./ https://sourcenews.scot/unacceptable-lawyers-criticise-legal-aid-funding-as-govt-announces-public-consultation/

As a result, privately-managed fundraising platforms have become increasingly important as a means of funding legal actions which seek to enforce rights, such as rights against discrimination./

The critique that these make access to justice dependent on ability to fund raise was already available. A case this week demonstrates further that these platforms are susceptible to external pressure. The de facto privatisation
of legal aid is a problem./

A decent system of legal aid is fundamental to a functional democracy and welfare state.