DO OTHERS share my thoughts of irony that those who have no legal right to remain in the UK can and are given legal aid, to fight their claims to stay.

Refugee and Migrant Justice said it was facing a cash crisis because a growing proportion of it legal aid was now only paid upon completion.

The charity is the UK's largest provider of free legal advice to asylum seekers and represents thousands of people fleeing persecution from countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Zimbabwe.

While the charity may claim the legal service is free, it is not if the British taxpayer is footing at least part of the bill.

It is a fact almost universally overlooked that no one can reach UK shores overland without crossing the borders of other safe havens under The European Convention on Human Rights. It seems to me the very first thing that should happen is for the British authorities to map the route taken by an asylum seeker, and then return them to the first signature to the Convention on the route.

Of course those who have been forcibly brought to the UK should be helped, but countries on route should also accept responsibility. It is simply no longer acceptable that Britain is the ultimate destination regardless of how many countries passed through. Other countries have to accept the responsibility they signed up to. Incredibly the French believe Britain should pay to help prevent migrants crossing via French ports, because they blame our generous benefits system for creating the problem in the first place.

Many UK citizens now find it almost impossible to get legal aid and thus go before the courts without representation leading to being wrongly convicted.

ROBERT FEAL-MARTINEZ

South Marston