Church of England bishops refuse to back gay marriage – BBC News

‘Church of England bishops have refused to back a change in teaching to allow priests to marry same-sex couples, sources have told BBC News. The Church of England’s bishops met on Tuesday to finalise their recommendations after five years of consultation and debate on the Church’s position on sexuality.
Their proposal will be debated at the Church’s equivalent of a parliament – the General Synod – next month.’

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BBC News, 18th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

External research on equality and diversity in the work of the Sentencing Council published – Sentencing Council

Posted January 16th, 2023 in diversity, equality, news, sentencing by tracey

‘New research that examines the potential and perceived impact of sentencing guidelines on specific groups of offenders has been published by the Sentencing Council.’

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Sentencing Council, 10th January 2023

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

UK review of gender recognition list risks ‘trans travel ban’ – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2023 in bills, equality, gender, government departments, news, Scotland, transgender persons by sally

‘Rishi Sunak has been told he risks “re-toxifying” his government’s record on LGBTQ+ rights and introducing “an effective trans travel ban” after the equalities minister announced a review of countries whose process for changing gender on legal documents is recognised by the UK.’

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The Guardian, 10th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Top Discrimination Decisions of 2022: five cases education lawyers should know – 3PB

‘Discrimination law is a complex and constantly evolving area of practice. Cases this year have provided clarification, enforcement and development of the legal principles underpinning claims under the Equality Act 2010 (“EqA”).’

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3PB, 13th December 2022

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Breach of trust, directors and corporate trustees: multiple derivative claims following McGaughey v USS – Wilberforce Chambers

‘It is commonplace now for the trustee of almost any sort of trust to be a company, and for the individuals who may colloquially be referred to as “the trustees” to in fact not be trustees at all, but to be the directors of the trustee company. Occupational pension schemes have been particularly keen adopters of this structure. In some respects it makes little difference to the beneficiaries: the trustee is the trustee, whether an individual or a company. But when the individuals involved are alleged to have acted in breach of their duties, the corporate structure allows for more complex claims than the ordinary breach of trust claim that would be brought against individual trustees.’

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Wilberforce Chambers, 20th December 2022

Source: www.wilberforce.co.uk

Judge quashes decision letter over discriminatory impact of housing allocations policy on domestic abuse survivor – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 6th, 2023 in domestic violence, equality, housing, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

“A High Court judge has ruled that a local authority’s housing allocations policy and its application to a domestic abuse survivor amounted to indirect discrimination.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Disability discrimination – House of Commons Library

Posted January 5th, 2023 in disability discrimination, equality, news by sally

‘This briefing provides an overview of disability discrimination law and explains legal duties to consider the needs of disabled people.’

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House of Commons Library, 4th January 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

No jab no job: 5 care home workers dismissed for not taking the vaccine – Lamb Chambers

‘In Dimitrova et Ors v Barchester Healthcare Ltd ET 1803315/2021, 5 care home workers brought claims against Barchester Healthcare Ltd, the second largest provider of care home services in the UK. These 5 Claimants were heard in the first tranche of several other claims. They all brought claims of unfair dismissal and two brought claims of direct/indirect religion/belief discrimination. Another Claimant brought a belief related harassment claim.’

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Lamb Chambers, December 2022

Source: www.lambchambers.co.uk

The planning definition of ‘Gypsies and Travellers’ – Local Government Lawyer

‘Aileen McColgan KC examines a Court of Appeal ruling that the Government’s planning definition of “gypsies and travellers” was unlawfully discriminatory.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th December 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council told to pay over £7k after failing to provide alternative education for autistic boy – Local Government Lawyer

‘An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found that Oxfordshire County Council failed to provide alternative education for a boy with autism for a year.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th December 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Half of black British police suffer racial incidents from colleagues, survey finds – The Guardian

Posted December 16th, 2022 in bullying, diversity, equality, harassment, news, police, race discrimination, racism, statistics by tracey

‘More than half of Britain’s black police officers and staff suffered racial incidents from colleagues in the past year, a survey has found.’

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The Guardian,15th December 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inns under fire for sluggish approach to disability access – Legal Futures

‘The inns of court are slow to act on behalf of disabled barristers and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) is to set push them to improve access in listed buildings, an event to mark the launch of the Bar’s Disability Taskforce heard last week.’

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Legal Futures, 12th December 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

In conversation with District Judge (MC) Briony Clarke – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted December 2nd, 2022 in diversity, equality, judges, magistrates, news, women by tracey

‘Find out about District Judge (MC) Briony Clarke’s career journey and her experiences of being a woman in the legal profession.’

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 1st December 2022

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Race at the Bar progress report: Much to celebrate, much more to do – The Bar Council

Posted December 2nd, 2022 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, race discrimination, statistics by tracey

‘One year on from the ground-breaking Race at the Bar report, the Bar Council has published an interim progress report on action being taken across the Bar to address race inequality.’

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The Bar Council, 30th November 2022

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Cabinet minister rejects national misogyny and racism inquiry – BBC News

‘A national inquiry into institutional misogyny and racism in the workplace has been rejected by the government. The inquiry was called for by the authors of a damning report into London Fire Brigade’s workplace culture.’

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BBC News, 27th November 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dyslexic M&S worker wins payout after being sacked over mistakes in emails – The Independent

‘A dyslexic Marks and Spencer worker has won more than £50,000 after losing her job following concerns about mistakes in her emails.’

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The Independent, 27th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman with Down’s syndrome loses abortion law appeal – BBC News

‘A woman with Down’s syndrome has lost her appeal over a law that allows abortion up until birth for a foetus with the condition.’

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BBC News, 25th November 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Footballer Quitongo loses race discrimination claim against former club – The Independent

Footballer Rico Quitongo has described losing his race discrimination claim against his former club as a “bitter blow”.

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The Independent, 24th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Racial inequality hard-wired into housing system in England, study finds – The Guardian

‘One in three black people who have experienced homelessness have also faced racial discrimination from a landlord, six times more than the general population of those who had struggled for shelter, a study reveals.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alleged Islamophobia in misconduct proceedings: El Diwany – Law & Religion UK

‘Mr Farid El Diwany was twice convicted in Norway of harassment [16] and, in consequence, was struck off the Roll of Solicitors [16(ix)]. In El Diwany v Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd [2022] EWHC 2882 (Admin), he appealed against an order of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (“the SDT”) dated 18 November 2021 refusing his application to be restored to the Roll [1].’

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Law & Religion UK, 16th November 2022

Source: lawandreligionuk.com