Straw unveils new controls on political funding and spending – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 18th, 2008 in elections, political parties, press releases by sally

“Political spending and donations to parties are to be more tightly regulated under new rules unveiled by Justice Secretary Jack Straw today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 17th July 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Podcast 64: With John Hirst – author of Jailhouse Lawyer’s blog and Podcast 65: The right of prisoners to vote with Carl Gardner – Charon QC

Posted July 7th, 2008 in elections, islamic law, podcasts, prisons by sally

“Today I am talking to John Hirst, author of the Jailhouse Lawyer’s blog. John has spent 35 of his 57 years in prison.

John was sent to prison for life after being convicted of the manslaughter of his landlady, in 1979. ‘He received a tariff of 15 years, but served a total of 25 before being released in October last year. He believes his activities as a litigant against the Prison Service and Home Office are the main reason he had to serve the extra years. John proved to be the most prolific prisoner litigant of modern times – and, he says, like Perry Mason and Rumpole of the Bailey, he never lost a case against the Prison Service.’ ”

Listen to Podcast 64: With John Hirst – author of Jailhouse Lawyer’s blog

“Today I am talking to Carl Gardner, author of the Head of Legal blog, barrister, former government lawyer and commentator on Human Rights Law, about the case of Hirst v United Kingdom No (2) heard at the ECHR in 2005.

Yesterday, I did a podcast with John Hirst, author of the Jailhouse Lawyer blog about his experience of prison life and during that conversation we talked about John’s case against the British government about the right of prisoners to vote – which he won.

Carl Gardner analyses the Hirst case and we talk about the practical implications of the judgment. We also talk about Lord Phillip’s attitude to Sharia Law and his support for Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.”

Listen to Podcast 65: The right of prisoners to vote with Carl Gardner

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Peter Hain interviewed by police over £100,000 ‘hidden’ campaign donation – The Times

Posted June 30th, 2008 in elections, news, political parties by sally

“Peter Hain, who resigned from the Cabinet over allegations that he had failed to register political donations, has been interviewed by police, The Times has learnt.”

Full story

The Times, 30th June 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Michael Wills announces election day consultation – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 25th, 2008 in elections, press releases by sally

“A consultation on whether to move elections to weekends has been launched as part of efforts to boost engagement in the democratic process.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 24th June 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Statement on weekend voting – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 25th, 2008 in elections, press releases by sally

“Justice Minister Michael Wills has made a written ministerial statement on a consultation on weekend voting.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 24th June 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Tory threat over Lib Dem leaflets – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2008 in elections, news, political parties by sally

“The Conservatives are threatening two separate legal actions against the Lib Dems over the Henley by-election.”

Full story

BBC News, 20th June 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tories face inquiry after voter data leaked – The Independent

Posted May 22nd, 2008 in data protection, elections, news by sally

“The Conservatives’ campaign in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election suffered an embarrassing last-minute setback when the party published the personal details of more than 8,000 voters.”

Full story

The Independent, 22nd May 2008

Source: www.independen.co.uk

Watchdog censures health secretary over illegal donation – The Guardian

Posted April 25th, 2008 in elections, news, political parties by sally

“The cost of the Labour deputy leadership contest threatened to bring further embarrassment for the government today as it emerged that another cabinet minister has been reprimanded over an illegal donation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th April 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Harriet Harman will not face an inquiry into campaign donations – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 17th, 2008 in elections, news, political parties by sally

“Commons leader Harriet Harman will not face a police investigation into errors in reporting contributions to her deputy Labour leadership campaign, it has been revealed.”

Full story

The Daily Telegraph, 16th April 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Livingstone cleared on donations – BBC News

Posted March 28th, 2008 in elections, news, political parties by sally

“London Mayor Ken Livingstone has been cleared by the Electoral Commission of breaking the law on donations.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministers back radical plan for voting reform – The Guardian

Posted March 25th, 2008 in elections, news by sally

“A significant overhaul of electoral legislation to give voters a second vote, open polling stations at weekends and make it compulsory to participate is being proposed by the government to increase turnout and improve the legitimacy of the Commons.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lords’ membership cut considered – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2008 in constitutional law, elections, news, parliament by sally

“Membership of the House of Lords could be almost halved under proposals to replace peers with elected members.”

Full story

BBC News, 20th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law allowing all-women shortlists extended – The Independent

Posted March 10th, 2008 in elections, news, parliament, women by sally

“All-women shortlists for selecting parliamentary candidates will remain legal until 2030 under new plans to help create a ‘critical mass’ of 200 female MPs.”

Full story

The Independent, 7th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Podcast 40: Carl Gardner on Peter Hain, Terrorism, The EU Amendment Bill and the problems about the rule of law in Pakistan… – Charon QC

Posted January 28th, 2008 in EC law, elections, government departments, podcasts, terrorism by sally

“Today I am talking to Carl Gardner, author of the Head of Legal blog. Carl was a government lawyer for ten years specialising in Constitutional and EU Law issues. Now freelance, Carl has some useful views today about the Peter Hain resignation, the Police investigation, possible charges, the new Counter Terrorism proposals being debated in Parliament and he is keeping a watching brief on the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – the EU Treaty debate in The House of Commons.”

Podcast

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of Consilio.tv

Related link: Head of Legal blog

Parties miss legal deadline on gifts donations – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 26th, 2008 in elections, gifts, news, political parties, time limits by sally

“The Labour Party has repeatedly failed to declare donations totalling more than £2.8 million to electoral regulators within the legal time limit, it emerged last night.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th January 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

What the law says about political party donations – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2008 in elections, political parties, special report by sally

“The rules about declaring donations are set down in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. It covers parties and individual politicians, who are described as ‘regulated donees’ in the jargon of the act.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Commissioner of Police of Bermuda and Another v Bermuda Broadcasting Co Ltd and Others – Times Law Reports

Posted January 24th, 2008 in Bermuda, confidentiality, corruption, elections, law reports, public interest by sally

Commissioner of Police of Bermuda and Another v Bermuda Broadcasting Co Ltd and Others

Privy Council

“The public interest in the freedom of the media to disseminate information relating to those who submitted themselves for election as legislators overrode the public interest in maintaining the confidentiality of documents relating to a police investigation into allegations of corruption.”

The Times, 24th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication. 

UK vote system ‘open to fraud’ – BBC News

Posted January 23rd, 2008 in elections, identity fraud, news by sally

“It is ‘childishly simple’ to register bogus voters in UK elections, a human rights body’s investigation suggests.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reluctant election trial witnesses ‘risking jail’ – The Times

Posted December 5th, 2007 in elections, news, witnesses by sally

“Five witnesses who refused to turn up for an election trial yesterday amid allegations they were scared of intimidation by Labour are to be warned by police to attend or risk jail.”

Full story

The Times, 5th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Brown faces full police enquiry after admitting links to donor – The Times

Posted November 30th, 2007 in elections, news by sally

“Gordon Brown was facing a full police investigation into Labour’s donations scandal as his campaign team admitted yesterday that it had links with David Abrahams.”

Full story

The Times, 30th November 2007

SOurce: www.timesonline.co.uk