Day: 29 July 2025

‘Lambeth Council has apologised to parents and pupils after the Office of the Schools Adjudicator ruled its decision to shut two primary schools in response to falling pupil numbers was unlawful.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 28th July 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘In R (Local Faith Ltd) v Registrar General for England & Wales [2025] EWHC 1795 (Admin), the applicant sought leave to judicially review of decision not to register a property in Basildon as a religious building under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855. The property was owned by Basildon Estates Ltd, which leased it to another company, Room for Faith Ltd, which in turn sublet it to Local Faith Ltd.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 29th July 2025

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘In HM Attorney General for England and Wales v British Broadcasting Corporation [2025] EWHC 1669 (KB), the Divisional Court (the Lady Chief Justice,the President of the King’s Bench Division, and Chamberlain J) gave judgment in relation to the deployment of evidence by MI5 in proceedings concerning the BBC’s reporting on a covert human intelligence source (CHIS), referred to as “X”. The judgment is quite extraordinary, including substantial criticism of the approach taken by MI5 in this case and specific guidance as to the way that evidence from an agency such as MI5 should be presented in future.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 29th July 2025

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘The two-child benefit cap is an intensely controversial policy brought in by the last Conservative government, and, despite some murmurings to the contrary, continues to be maintained by the current Labour one. The cap allows parents to claim certain welfare benefits with respect to their first two children, but prevents them from doing so with regard to their third (or further) children. Regulations have put in place a number of exceptions to the cap. For example, the cap does not apply to adopted children, nor does it apply when multiple additional children are born at the same time. There is also a (limited) exception for children born as a result of rape or a coercive or controlling relationship. But the applicability of the exception depends on when each child was born. The policy applies in such a way whereby when a third (or later) child is born as a result of rape or a coercive and controlling relationship, the parent will be excepted from the two-child cap. But if an earlier child or children (say, the first two children) are born as a result of rape or a coercive and controlling relationship, and the third child is not, they will be subject to the cap.’

Full Story

Administrative Court Blog, 28th July 2025

Source: administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com

‘Two married police officers who were arrested after one of them smacked their teenage son have won a High Court battle over claims they were unlawfully detained.’

Full Story

The Independent, 28th July 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘The former chair of CILEX – who has previously called for a radical shift in the way lawyers are regulated – is to take over as chair of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) in September.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 29th July 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘A Palestinian family who are trying to get the UK government to help them flee Gaza have won a critical ruling in their legal battle.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th July 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘An award-winning homeless hostel in the constituency of the prime minister, Keir Starmer, has been lambasted after an independent investigation into the death of one of its residents.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th July 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘As of 25 July 2025, new child safety duties under the Online Safety Act have come into force, requiring online platforms to implement robust safety measures to prevent children from accessing illegal or harmful content. The consequences for non-compliance are significant, making it essential for online providers to understand their new obligations.’

Full Story

Criminal Law Blog, 28th July 2025

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

‘A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for planning “brutal” sex offences against children, alongside his hospital worker girlfriend.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th July 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘The Court of Protection on occasion has to deal with those who are determined to stymie its jurisdiction. In Kirk v Devon County Council [2017] EWCA Civ 34, Sir James Munby, through gritted teeth, accepted that the end of the line had been reached in relation to a P who had been abducted to Portugal. In Re AB & Ors [2025] EWCOP 27 (T3), McKendrick J refused to accept that the end of the line had yet been reached in relation to a P abducted to Jamaica. His reasons for giving a detailed judgment setting out the background and the concerns relating to P were two-fold.’

Full Story

Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 28th July 2025

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk