MPs arrested for violent or sexual offences ‘face ban from Westminster’ – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2023 in delay, employment, news, parliament, sexual offences, violence by tracey

‘Trade unions have welcomed the publication of new proposals by parliamentary authorities for the exclusion of MPs who are arrested for a violent or sexual offences.’

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The Guardian, 14th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Veterans demand Commons debate on review into past armed forces gay ban – BBC News

‘The government has dropped a key commitment to veterans who were sacked or forced out of the military for being gay, sources have told the BBC.’

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BBC News, 11th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

James Milton: Rule of Law, Political Accountability and the Importance of Culture – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 30th, 2023 in news, parliament, political parties, rule of law, standards by sally

‘Political accountability plays a key role in the operation of the rule of law. This is the main claim I seek to defend through this blog post. My framework here is that the rule of law is just as concerned about the ethos of public officials as it is their actions. Political accountability acts as a mechanism through which the ethos behind public officials actions and decision-making can be monitored. As a result, political accountability plays a crucial part in the operation of the rule of law.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 30th November 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

High court challenge to ‘constitutionally unprecedented’ UK anti-protest law – The Guardian

‘A new law making it easier for the police to put conditions on peaceful protests is “constitutionally unprecedented” and unlawful, according to a claim filed at the high court in London.’

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The Guardian, 29th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Philip Murray: Ouster Clause Redux: The Court of Appeal’s Decision in LA (Albania) – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 21st, 2023 in constitutional law, judicial review, legislative drafting, news, parliament by sally

‘In the summer I wrote on this blog about the Administrative Court’s decision in R (Oceana) v Upper Tribunal [2023] EWHC 791 (Admin). Oceana was the first time the new ‘super ouster clause’ contained in section 11A of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (‘TCEA 2007’), introduced by section 2 of the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022, fell for judicial consideration, and it was informative to observe how judges responded to the clause in judicial review. But while Oceana raised an important point of constitutional law, namely, Parliament’s ability to exclude judicial review with sufficiently express statutory language, the underlying case in Oceana was a weak one. It was little surprise, therefore, that Oceana did not fall for reconsideration on appeal. However, Saini J’s judgment in Oceana that Parliament is institutionally competent to exclude judicial review in certain circumstances has now come under further judicial scrutiny by the Court of Appeal in R (LA (Albania)) v Upper Tribunal [2023] EWCA Civ 1337. And so it is time for another blog post, addressing again the important question on the effectiveness of ouster clauses and the potential limits of Parliament’s legislative sovereignty.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 21st November 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Watchdog head ‘does not know’ if UK parliament is safe workspace for women – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2023 in bullying, complaints, harassment, news, parliament, standards by sally

‘The head of parliament’s complaints watchdog has said she “does not know” if the Palace of Westminster is a safe workplace for women.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Leonid Sirota: (How) Can Big Government Be Kept Accountable? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 17th, 2023 in constitutional law, government departments, news, parliament by tracey

‘This project started from an experience that will be familiar to just about any law lecturer: persuading first-year students, bewildered in their first week at university, that your subject means something to them ― even if they don’t know that yet. In my case, one argument I came up with to sell my students on constitutional law was that government is a very big deal. I return to the question of just how big a deal it is presently. For now, suffice it to say that, although some public law rules (think of the Carltona doctrine, for instance) take this into account, on the whole, the size and also the shape of government go relatively unremarked upon in public law theory.

In this post I argue, however, that they matter for thinking about government accountability. They matter beyond this too, but accountability is my topic here. It is more difficult to keep a big government accountable than a small one. In particular, it is difficult and perhaps impossible to do so through political means. Political constitutionalists who want government accountability, primarily political control of government, and big government cannot have it all.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th November 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

The Crown and the constitution – House of Commons Library

Posted November 16th, 2023 in constitutional law, news, parliament, royal family by sally

‘A briefing paper on the constitutional aspects of the Crown.’

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House of Commons Library, 13th November 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Research Briefing: Whistleblowing and gagging clauses – House of Commons Library

Posted November 14th, 2023 in contract of employment, disclosure, employment, news, parliament, whistleblowers by sally

‘This briefing covers legal protections for workers who whistleblow at work, as well as attempts to silence workers using settlement agreements.’

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House of Commons Library, 13th November 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Research Briefing: Reuse of graves – House of Commons Library

Posted October 20th, 2023 in burials and cremation, Law Commission, news, parliament, Scotland by tracey

‘This briefing paper considers reuse of graves as a means of addressing the problem of the shortage of available space for burial.’

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House of Commons Library, 16th October 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

MPs and peers call for ‘immediate stop’ to live facial recognition surveillance – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, facial mapping, news, parliament, police, privacy by michael

‘Dozens of cross-party MPs and peers have joined a campaign for an “immediate stop” to the use of live facial recognition surveillance by police and private companies.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

No rule to stop Tory MP interviewing minister on GB News, says Ofcom boss – The Guardian

‘Ofcom’s chief executive has said there is nothing under current rules to stop GB News using the Conservative MP Lee Anderson to interview the Tory home secretary, Suella Braverman.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tory peer cleared for second time of breaking lobbying rules over PPE contracts – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2023 in contracts, coronavirus, lobbying, news, parliament, standards by tracey

‘A Conservative peer has been cleared of breaking lobbying rules for a second time by the House of Lords watchdog over introducing a company that was awarded government PPE contracts worth £50m.’

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The Guardian, 27th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ex-MP jailed over expenses fraud loses appeal against prison sentence – The Independent

Posted September 27th, 2023 in appeals, drug abuse, expenses, fraud, imprisonment, news, parliament, sentencing by sally

‘A former MP jailed for expenses fraud has lost a Court of Appeal bid to challenge his four-year prison sentence.’

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The Independent, 26th September 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Research Briefing: Statutory public inquiries: the Inquiries Act 2005 – House of Commons Library

Posted September 1st, 2023 in inquiries, news, parliament by sally

‘A briefing paper explaining the Inquiries Act 2005, issues arising from the holding of statutory public inquiries, and summary notes on the progress of active statutory inquiries.’

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House of Commons Library, 31st August 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Research Briefing: Whistleblowing and gagging clauses – House of Commons Library

Posted September 1st, 2023 in disclosure, employment, news, parliament, professional conduct, whistleblowers by sally

‘This briefing covers legal protections for workers who whistleblow at work, as well as attempts to silence workers using settlement agreements.’

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House of Commons Library, 31st August 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Research Briefing: Artificial intelligence and employment law – House of Commons Library

‘Employers are increasingly using AI in recruitment and management. This briefing explores the employment law implications and proposals for regulatory reform.’

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House of Commons Library , 11th August 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Watchdog opens fresh inquiry into Tory peer over possible PPE lobbying breach – The Guardian

Posted August 4th, 2023 in conflict of interest, coronavirus, inquiries, lobbying, news, parliament by tracey

‘The House of Lords conduct watchdog has opened an investigation into the Conservative peer Lord Chadlington after new details about his introduction of a firm that was awarded £50m in PPE contracts were reported by the Guardian.’

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lobbying rules to be tightened in long-awaited response to Greensill scandal – The Guardian

Posted July 21st, 2023 in disclosure, government departments, lobbying, news, parliament by tracey

‘Lobbying rules will be toughened up across Whitehall in a long-awaited response by ministers to issues raised by the Greensill scandal, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Metropolitan Police investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence – House of Commons Library

‘On 22 April 1993, Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old Black man, was stabbed to death at a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London by a group of White youths in an unprovoked, racist attack. Stephen’s friend, Duwayne Brooks, was with him at the time and witnessed the attack.’

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House of Commons Library, 9th July 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk