‘Every year, throughout February and March, Bar Council members have to take part in the Authorisation to Practice process, which involves renewing your practising certificate, updating your professional information and paying your Practising Certificate Fee and Bar Representation Fee.’
The Bar Council, 19th February 2016
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
‘In England and Wales an organisation must satisfy the definition of charity under the Charities Act 2011 and must be established for charitable purposes only and subject to the control of the High Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction with respect to charities. There is a list of charitable purposes, which include matters such as the promotion of human rights, but it includes any purposes that may reasonably be regarded as analogous to, or within the spirit of, any of the purposes expressly set out in the Act. All charitable purposes must be for the public benefit.’
Cloisters, 28th September 2015
Source: www.cloisters.com
‘Downing Street’s decision to publish the second batch of letters that Prince Charles had sent to ministers was unexpected. The government had been preparing to resist the publication of the latest batch, covering the years 2006 to 2009, even though a previous batch, covering 2004 and 2005, was released after a ten-year legal battle with the Guardian.’
The Guardian, 4th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Charities have warned they are being deterred from staging major campaigns on crucial general election issues because of the “chilling” impact of controversial new rules on lobbying.’
Full story
The Independent, 18th February 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘A parliamentary investigation into the conduct of the former Labour MP Geoff Hoon was justified, according to the European Court of Human Rights.’
BBC News, 4th December 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Law firms that lobby the government on behalf of clients will not need to disclose any information protected by legal professional privilege (LPP) when a new statutory register is up and running, the UK government has confirmed.’
OUT-LAW.com, 18th September 2014
Source: www.out-law.com
‘A High Court judge is considering whether Boris Johnson acted improperly in banning a bus advert suggesting people could “get over” homosexuality.’
BBC News, 1st July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘R (o.t.a Rob Evans) v. Attorney-General, Information Commissioner Interested Party, 12 March 2014.The Court of Appeal (reversing a strong court including the former Lord Chief Justice – see my previous post) has decided that correspondence between the Prince of Wales and various government departments should be released. A Guardian journalist had made a request under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations to see these documents. The Upper Tribunal had agreed that they should be disclosed.’
Uk Human Rights Blog, 16th March 2014
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Three senior judges have ruled that Dominic Grieve, the attorney general, acted unlawfully when he blocked the publication of letters written by Prince Charles to government ministers. The ruling, led by Lord Dyson, the head of the civil judiciary in England and Wales, paves the way for the release of the letters which reveal how the prince lobbied government ministers to change official policies.’
The Guardian, 12th March 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 published
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
‘Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers did not breach the ministerial code over a meeting with a lobbyist, an internal No 10 report has found. She had faced allegations that, as a transport minister, she failed to declare a meeting with a representative of a firm seeking to build a railway depot in the Hertfordshire green belt. But a report by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heyward has cleared her.’
BBC News, 18th December 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Lobbying Bill – due to complete the Lords committee stage before Christmas – is intended ‘to ensure that people know whose interests are being represented by consultant lobbyists who make representations to government’. Part One provides that lobbyists must disclose the names of their clients four times a year in a public register; there will be a registrar to enforce compliance, and sanctions for non-compliance. This should make ministers more cautious about promoting policies that favour special interests, and should make special interest groups more cautious in their dealings with ministers. Those who want to engage in this type of lobbying, and can afford it, can properly be expected to bear the costs of regulation.’
London Review of Books, 19th December 2013
Source: www.lrb.co.uk
‘Prince Charles is to face a fresh challenge to his secret communication channel to government ministers when a court is asked to reveal whether he lobbied for an exemption to property laws affecting his £800m estate.’
The Guardian, 3rd December 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The government has proposed a series of amendments to its lobbying bill, after charities and voluntary groups raised concerns they could be gagged.”
BBC News, 26th September 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Ministers have amended their plans for new anti-lobbying laws after charities warned the bill could affect their ability to campaign.”
BBC News, 6th September 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill is proving to be controversial for various reasons – not least for proposing amendments to controls on third party spending during election campaigns (under the current law independent organisations have to register with the Electoral Commission if they spend over a certain amount on election material, and such spending is subject to an overall cap). Many of the criticisms have focused on the potential for the proposed law to apply to the political speech of charities, think tanks, blogs and campaign groups.”
UK Constitutional Law Group, 4th September 2013
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
“Downing Street has rejected warnings by charities that its new lobbying legislation would restrict voluntary organisations from campaigning on matters of public interest.”
The Independent, 2nd September 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“The Electoral Commission, Britain’s elections watchdog, has concluded that government plans to curb political campaigning by charities before a general election are flawed and in part unworkable.”
The Guardian, 26th August 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“David Cameron’s planned law to stop lobbying scandals is ‘a dog’s breakfast’, according to the head of the Commons committee examining it.”
BBC News, 19th August 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The Guardian has been given permission to appeal a High Court decision blocking the publication of letters from Prince Charles to Government ministers, it has said.”
OUT-LAW.com, 26th July 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
