Ahead of this afternoon's committee stage debate on the legal aid bill in the House of Lords (you can watch it here), the Law Society have published important new independent research showing that the government have significantly over-estimated the savings from cutting legal aid and that the cuts will cause significant additional public expenditure elsewhere. The full report can be found here, and the Law Society's press release here, with reaction on the Sound off for Justice site here. In further research to be formally launched at a Parliamentary event on Thursday, the Legal Action Group have found that 88% of Londoners support legal aid being available either to all or to those earning less than the national average wage. Not only is cutting legal aid expensive, it seems it is also unpopular. As well as emailing Lord McNally, why not pair up with a peer and tell them that? And while you're at it, tell your MP too - because any amendments the Lords might make will have to be approved by the Commons as well.