Child Q: Black professionals urge education secretary to take action following strip-search – The Independent

‘The education secretary must take immediate action to tackle institutional racism within the education sector following the “dehumanising” strip-search of a black child in London, a collective of black professionals has demanded.’

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The Independent, 26th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rule will require solicitors to challenge colleagues’ improper behaviour – Legal Futures

‘Solicitors will have a regulatory obligation to challenge colleagues who treat others unfairly or without respect as part of a plan to beef up the rules on health and wellbeing at work.’

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Legal futures, 7th March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Senior judge recommends scaling back of Commons standards tsar’s dual role – The Independent

Posted March 4th, 2022 in codes of practice, disciplinary procedures, news, parliament by tracey

‘Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone should have her decision-making powers stripped back and the Commons be banned from amending reports into MPs’ rule breaches, a review of the standards system has recommended.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Returning instructions a “last resort”, Bar Council tells criminal barristers – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2022 in appeals, barristers, codes of practice, criminal procedure, news by sally

‘Criminal defence barristers should recognise that returning instructions where they are not under a professional duty to do so “should always be a matter of last resort”, the Bar Council has said.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Private parking fines to be capped at £50 – BBC News

Posted February 7th, 2022 in codes of practice, fines, government departments, news, parking by tracey

‘Private car parks will have to display prices more clearly, introduce a fairer system for appeals and give drivers a grace period for lateness as part of a government crackdown.’

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BBC News, 7th February 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Is “Perception-Based Recording” for hate crime compatible with freedom of speech? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In R (Harry Miller) v The College of Policing [2021] EWCA Civ 1926, the Court of Appeal ruled that current police guidance on the recording of ‘hate incidents’ unlawfully interferes with the right to freedom of expression. The decision overturns a 2020 ruling by the High Court in which Mr Miller’s challenge to the lawfulness of the Hate Crime Operational Guidance was dismissed (discussed previously on this Blog here).’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th January 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Contested heritage – A review of the Church of England guidance – Law & Religion UK

‘In a guest post, Trevor Cooper, of the Historic Religious Buildings Alliance, looks at the issues surrounding “contested heritage”.’

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Law & Religion UK, 21st January 2022

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

New Highway Code rules change who has priority at roundabouts – The Independent

Posted January 24th, 2022 in codes of practice, news, roads by tracey

‘Three new updates will be implemented from next week.’

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The Independent, 24th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK sets global transparency standard for asset returns – Home Office

‘The UK is the first country to publish its policy and principles on international asset returns.’

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Home Office, 13th January 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Harry Miller: Legal victory after alleged transphobic tweets – BBC News

‘An ex-police officer has won a legal challenge against a national policy for forces to record gender-critical views as non-crime “hate incidents”.’

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BBC News, 20th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Violent men who harm women warned that police are increasing action against them – National Police Chiefs’ Council

Posted December 15th, 2021 in codes of practice, criminal justice, domestic violence, news, police, victims, violence, women by tracey

‘Police in England and Wales will take wide-ranging action to deliver a fundamental shift in priority of violence against women and girls and give victims a consistently high standard of service wherever they are.’

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National Police Chiefs' Council, 15th December 2021

Source: news.npcc.police.uk

Electronic court bundles – Family Law

Posted December 13th, 2021 in codes of practice, courts, documents, electronic filing, news by tracey

‘The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary have issued general guidance on electronic court bundles. The guidance is intended to ensure consistency in the provision of electronic bundles for court hearings (but not tribunal hearings) in a format that promotes the efficient preparation for, and management of, a hearing.’

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Family Law, 9th December 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Union loses legal challenge to PM’s decision to back Priti Patel – BBC News

‘The union for senior civil servants has lost its High Court challenge to Boris Johnson’s decision to back Priti Patel over claims she bullied staff.’

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BBC News, 6th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill: the Code of Practice – Local Government Lawyer

‘In the third article in a three-part series on the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill, Edward Blakeney and Mattie Green examine the accompanying Code of Practice.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd December 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Deepcut deaths: army ‘treating victims’ families with contempt’ – The Guardian

‘The sister of Pte Sean Benton, who committed suicide at Deepcut barracks, has accused the British army of treating victims’ families with contempt after it emerged that the military had failed to honour a pledge made at his inquest in 2018.’

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The Guardian, 28th November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Firearms – importation sentencing guidelines published – Sentencing Council

‘The Council has published a new guideline for sentencing offenders convicted of firearms importation offences in England and Wales, following consultation.’

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Sentencing Council, 24th November 2021

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

We need real decisions about artificial intelligence – Local Government Lawyer

‘The regulatory framework around the use of artificial intelligence by local authorities is inadequate but existing governance mechanisms can address concerns, writes Sue Chadwick.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Pressing need’ for guidance on judicial visits in CoP – McFarlane – Law Society’s Gazette

‘There is a “pressing need” for the Court of Protection to develop guidance for practitioners and judges on judicial visits to the subject of proceedings, the president of the Family Division has said. A decision that it was in the best interests of a 56-year-old woman, described as “the most complex Covid patient in the world”, to have life-sustaining treatment withdrawn was overturned today because of possible procedural unfairness in relation to the judge’s visit to see her in hospital.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 25th November 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Mike Gordon: A Statutory Basis for the Ministerial Code – the Challenges – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘With the UK in the midst of its latest political corruption crisis, the question of the (in)adequacy of the current infrastructure concerning standards in public life is once more in the spotlight. Immediately prior to the parliamentary farce over the Owen Paterson lobbying affair, the Committee on Standards in Public Life published a significant report, Upholding Standards in Public Life: Final Report of the Standards Matter 2 Review (November 2021), outlining a number of potential changes to the system for holding politicians to account for their conduct. This blog post focuses on one of the Committee’s recommendations: that the Ministerial Code be provided with a statutory basis through a ‘requirement for the Prime Minister to issue the Ministerial Code’ being ‘enshrined in primary legislation’ (Recommendation 4).’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th November 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Soldier suicide in Windsor prompts coroner to issue recommendations – BBC News

‘A soldier’s suicide has prompted a coroner to issue a series of recommendations to the Army to prevent similar deaths in the future.’

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BBC News, 11th November 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk