Reply from Nick Clegg Deputy PM

Pass the buck why don't you Mr Clegg.

Deputy Prime Minister
Mr Nick Clegg
10 Downing Street,
London,
SW1A 2AA 21st June 2010


Dear Mr Clegg,

Can you explain to our English members how removing the need to apply for permission to got to court for contact with your grandchildren will benefit anyone except lawyers.

As we see it this is removing a safeguard if a grandparent has no case and a judge denies them leave to apply which although costs in the first application is a small payment to nip the case in the bud rather than grandparents carrying on spending a fortune on a case that has no chance of winning. This opens up the situation for unscrupulous lawyers to home-in and take on cases that have little or no chance of success.

Heartbroken grandparents will grab at any straw and are very vulnerable and have been hurt enough and I believe this was a very cruel election gimmick giving false hope untold misery to grandparents..

I have had English lawyers wanting to advertise with me giving discount for grandparents wanting to go to court. I can almost see them rubbing their hands together with glee.

Can you not do something positive like implementing The Charter for Grandchildren which will not cause conflict with parents as the right is for the children and not for the grandparents. You might be surprised to know that we do not believe in automatic rights for grandparents because of the conflict it caused. Thought of grandparents getting legal rights caused an uproar in Scotland from parents that is why the Scottish Labour Party voted against it.

We are only interested in the welfare of the child and our motto is ‘Bringing Families Together’ not causing more conflict.

Yours sincerely

Jimmy Deuchars
Grandparents Apart UK
22 Alness crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 882 5658
http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk

Ecl:- The Charter for Grandchildren.