CUTS to the legal aid budget will put vulnerable women and children at “grave risk”, the shadow home secretary was told last week.

Members of Liverpool’s Family Law Bar Association (FLBA) lobbied Chris Grayling and renewed warnings over the dwindling quality of advice in child protection cases if further cuts are made.

Malcolm Sharpe, head of the family law group at Atlantic Chambers, and Harrington Street’s Emma Freeman and Sarah Langley, discussed the issues with the Tory front- bencher.

The meeting with Mr Grayling was convened following a national FLBA seminar earlier this month in London.

The FLBA adopted a resolution protesting at the Government’s proposed cuts to family legal aid of 20% - 30%.

The move is supported by barristers from all of the leading Family law chambers in Merseyside.

Mr Sharpe said: “This meeting was organised to show the depth of concern held by the Family Bar in the city about the situation faced by our clients.

“We made it clear barristers are being prevented from providing the service their clients need and which they entered the profession to give because of cuts to the legal aid budget.”

Mr Grayling said he would treat the issue as a “matter of urgency”.