Iraq Inquiry: Timetable ‘might be published by November’ – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, news, reports by sally

‘Sources close to the Iraq Inquiry have indicated chairman Sir John Chilcot may write to David Cameron with a timetable for his report before 3 November.’

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BBC News, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

£150m legal bill for troops just doing their duty – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 20th, 2015 in armed forces, bills, costs, human rights, judicial review, law firms, news, time limits, treaties, war by sally

‘Ministers draw up plans to pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights next time the Armed Forces are sent into combat.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sir John Chilcot to set timetable for publication of Iraq war report – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2015 in armed forces, inquiries, Iraq, news, reports, war by sally

‘Relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq have claimed a partial victory after Sir John Chilcot announced he would finally set a timetable for his report on the six-year inquiry into the war.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Brecon Beacons SAS selection deaths ‘unacceptable’ – BBC News

Posted October 12th, 2015 in armed forces, health & safety, inquests, inquiries, news by tracey

‘The deaths of three reservists on an SAS selection march were unacceptable, the armed forces minister has said.
Military chiefs have been ordered to carry out two inquiries after the deaths of three men on the Brecon Beacons in 2013.’

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BBC News, 12th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government refuses to publish legal basis for air strikes on Syria – The Independent

‘Two Government departments have refused to publish the legal advice that paved the way for Britain to launch a drone strike on Isis targets in Syria.’

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The Independent, 9th October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina (Nour) v Secretary of State for Defence – WLR Daily

Regina (Nour) v Secretary of State for Defence [2015] EWHC 2543 (Admin); [2015] WLR (D) 392

‘An assessment made by the Secretary of State for Defence under the Government’s Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Guidance was justiciable and subject to the courts’ power of review, save with regard to the assessment of political or reputational risk involved in such assistance. The court would not interfere with an assessment or its conclusion unless satisfied that they were irrational in the Wednesbury sense and ones that no reasonable decision-maker could have made.’

WLR Daily, 28th September 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

British soldier drowned after failings by training company, coroner rules – The Independent

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in armed forces, health & safety, inquests, news by tracey

‘Failings by an adventure training company contributed to the drowning of a young British soldier when his whitewater raft capsized, a coroner has ruled.’

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The Independent, 1st Ocotber 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Syria drone strikes: UK attorney general refuses to disclose advice – The Guardian

‘The attorney general has refused to disclose his advice about the legality of RAF drone strikes in Syria, citing collective cabinet responsibility and the need for law officers to give “full and frank” opinions.’

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The Guardian, 16th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cheryl James Deepcut death: Soldier’s body is exhumed – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2015 in armed forces, burials and cremation, inquests, news by tracey

‘The body of an 18-year-old soldier found dead at Deepcut Barracks has been exhumed, ahead of a new inquest into her death.’

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BBC News, 10th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Was it lawful for UK forces to kill British Isis fighters in Syria? – The Guardian

Posted September 9th, 2015 in armed forces, international law, news, self-defence, terrorism by sally

‘On the facts as we know them, this unprecedented attack on British would-be terrorists appears to be within the law.’

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The Guardian, 7th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Who, What, Why: When is it legal to kill your own citizens? – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2015 in armed forces, international law, news, self-defence, terrorism, United Nations by sally

‘Two British jihadists from the Islamic State group were killed by a RAF drone strike in Syria. What’s the legal status of the attack?’

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BBC News, 8th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chilcot inquiry: families back legal action to speed release of Iraq inquiry – The Guardian

Posted August 28th, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, judicial review, news, reports by sally

‘Lawyers for families who lost relatives in the Iraq war are pushing ahead with legal action aimed at forcing the chair of the inquiry, Sir John Chilcot, to set a timetable for publication of his long-delayed report. The issue could be in court within weeks.’

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The Guardian, 27th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chilcot defends long-delayed Iraq inquiry – but sets no date for publication – The Guardian

Posted August 27th, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, news, reports by sally

‘Sir John Chilcot mounted a robust defence of his embattled Iraq war inquiry, prompting families of those who lost relatives in the conflict to make a renewed threat of legal action to accelerate its publication.’

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The Guardian, 26th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chilcot and his team confirm they have no plans to abandon inquiry into Iraq war – The Independent

Posted August 21st, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, news by sally

‘Sir John Chilcot and his team have no plans to abandon their examination of the war in Iraq, they insisted, after The Independent revealed the inquiry panel had discussed resigning en masse in protest against the pressure it has been put under to speed up publication.’

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The Independent, 20th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Round-up: Controversy over the Courts Charge and Serdar Mohammed – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Howard League for Penal Reform has called for a review of the “unfair and unrealistic” Criminal Courts Charge, which “ penalises the poor and encourages the innocent to plead guilty”. The mandatory charge of up to £1,200 is imposed on those who admit committing minor misdemeanours, regardless of their circumstances.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 10th August 2015

Sorce: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chilcot inquiry: soldiers’ families threaten legal action over delay – The Guardian

Posted August 13th, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, judicial review, news, reports by sally

‘Families of soldiers killed during the Iraq war have have threatened legal action over the long-awaited Chilcot inquiry into the conflict if the report is not published by the end of the year.’
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The Guardian, 13th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The legal fog of war among the people – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 6th, 2015 in appeals, armed forces, detention, human rights, international law, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has held that UK armed forces breached both Afghan law and Article 5 of the ECHR by detaining a suspected Taliban commander for longer than the 96 hours permitted by ISAF policy.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 5th August 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Regina (Child Soldiers International) v Secretary of State for Defence – WLR Daily

Posted August 4th, 2015 in age discrimination, armed forces, EC law, equality, law reports, news, regulations by sally

Regina (Child Soldiers International) v Secretary of State for Defence [2015] EWHC 2183 (Admin); [2015] WLR (D) 343

‘Article 3(4) of Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation gave member states an unqualified and unrestricted power not to apply the Directive to the armed forces, so that the terms of the Army Terms of Service Regulations 2007 were not incompatible with equal treatment under the Directive.’

WLR Daily, 24th July 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Did MoD owe marine duty of care? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 4th, 2015 in armed forces, duty of care, news, personal injuries by sally

‘Spencer Vaughan was a Royal Marine taking part in an adventure training exercise in Gran Canaria. On the last day of the trip, his supervisor, Corporal Sanders told Spencer and his colleagues that they were free to do what they wanted until about 1.30pm. While visiting a tourist beach, Vaughan executed a shallow dive into the sea. At trial, he said that he had struck a sand bar. As a result he sustained a fracture of the cervical spine, which resulted in incomplete tetraplegia.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Billet v Ministry of Defence– Ogden Tables Revisited – Zenith PI Blog

‘In 2009, the Claimant had been in the army and his role was as a HGV driver. He had been taking part in a field exercise in freezing weather and snow for six days having been provided with unsatisfactory footwear. The Claimant suffered a non-freezing cold injury to his feet. Despite treatment he still suffered symptoms in cold weather but was assessed as fit for service. The Claimant obtained an early termination of military service in 2011 because of family commitments. Due to the ongoing symptoms in his feet he issued a claim for damages against the MOD. Liability was agreed at 75% but the parties could not agree quantum.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 31st July 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com