LAWYERS, union activists and campaigners met in Manchester last night to counter the government’s onslaught on funding for law centres and legal aid by opening an independent free advice centre.

The Tory attack has left thousands of poorer people in Greater Manchester with no access to legal help and representation — a problem repeated across Britain.

Greater Manchester used to have eight law centres providing free legal help for those in the greatest need.

Today it has two — and none in Manchester city, which campaigners have lamented as a “law centre-free zone.”

One closure was successfully resisted by campaigners for four years.

Barrister John Nicholson said: “The government wants to prevent access to justice and does so most effectively by removing the advice agencies that can deliver that access to those most in need.”

A meeting of lawyers and others in March formed the Justice Alliance, which laid plans to open the new centre, with volunteers as the backbone of the project.

“We say that if people are committed, there will be a new law centre, owned and run by the community and providing high-quality legal representation — for free,” said Mr Nicholson.

The Justice Alliance held its inaugural annual general meeting at Manchester’s Mechanics Institute last night.

Organisations involved include three barristers’ chambers and a solicitors’ firm, immigration, refugee and asylum campaign groups, union Unite, Young Legal Aid Lawyers and community care and mental health campaign groups.