The government has been defeated by 201 to 191 in the House of Lords over plans to restrict legal aid. Peers backed a motion by Labour's Lord Bach accusing ministers of failing to honour a previous commitment on access to help in welfare cases. Lord Bach said claimants appealing against a ruling on their welfare benefits would get no legal aid at the start of their case. Ministers rejected the accusation and said no more concessions could be made. Peers voted against the government on a piece of secondary legislation stemming from the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, which was passed earlier this year.....Read more here BBC News - Legal aid: Government defeated in Lords