Government Scraps Immigration “Streaming Tool” before Judicial Review – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In response to a legal challenge brought by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), the Home Office has scrapped an algorithm used for sorting visa applications. Represented by Foxglove, a legal non-profit specialising in data privacy law, JCWI launched judicial review proceedings,, arguing that the algorithmic tool was unlawful on the grounds that it was discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010 and irrational under common law.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th August 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Autism in children: ‘Many families face council discrimination’ – BBC News

‘More than a quarter of English councils are acting unlawfully by discriminating against children with autism, according to a report by disability law experts.’

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BBC News, 4th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coronavirus: ‘Institutional racism left minorities exposed’ – BBC News

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in coronavirus, employment, equality, health, inquiries, news, race discrimination, racism, Wales by sally

‘Institutional racism may have contributed to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities in Wales, a top judge has claimed.’

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BBC News, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Religious fostering service given permission on one ground to appeal rejection of judicial review challenge over Ofsted report – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has given a Christian fostering service permission to appeal on one ground following his dismissal earlier this month of its judicial review challenge to a report by Ofsted.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Commercial sets join forces to launch mentoring scheme – Litigation Futures

Posted July 30th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, equality, news by sally

‘Six leading commercial sets have joined forces to launch a mentoring scheme aimed at people from groups which are underrepresented at the commercial Bar.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

What is indirect discrimination and how to identify the right comparator? – Landmark Chambers

Posted July 30th, 2020 in EC law, equality, lectures, news by sally

‘Legal prohibitions on discrimination based upon certain characteristics have been part of UK domestic law for decades. The Foreword to the seminal book Monaghan on Equality Law started as follows:

“Equality”, wrote Rabinder Singh QC (as he then was) some time ago, is the “neglected virtue”. But it is not neglected now. At long last, we have the Equality Act 2010, which brings together the many separate laws against discrimination and tries to make them into a coherent whole. That is easier said than done. If equality is indeed a virtue, then it is a very complicated one.’

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Landmark Chambers, July 2020

Source: www.landmarkchambers.co.uk

Commercial sets join forces to launch mentoring scheme – Litigation Futures

Posted July 29th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, equality, news by tracey

‘Six leading commercial sets have joined forces to launch a mentoring scheme aimed at people from groups which are underrepresented at the commercial Bar.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Frozen pensions: injustices faced by Windrush generation in spotlight – The Guardian

‘Campaigners urge new working group to look into why some retirees living abroad are penalised.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parents of student who killed herself launch legal action against University of Bristol – The Guardian

‘The parents of a student with severe social anxiety who took her own life on the day she was scheduled to face “the ordeal” of an important oral test have launched legal proceedings against her university, claiming she was the victim of negligence and disability discrimination.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Uber drivers to launch legal bid to uncover app’s algorithm – The Guardian

‘Minicab drivers will launch a legal bid to uncover secret computer algorithms used by Uber to manage their work in a test case that could increase transparency for millions of gig economy workers across Europe.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Gay Conversion Therapy Is Torture, The UK Must Ban It – Each Other

‘Conversion therapy is a set of pseudo-scientific practices which aim to change, suppress, or divert a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It is based on the assumption that “being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is a mental illness that can be “cured”.’

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Each Other, 16th July 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Discrimination and ‘No DSS’ – Nearly Legal

‘As we have seen before, Shelter have been supporting discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010 against letting agents who operate a ‘No DSS’ policy (meaning a refusal to even consider people claiming housing related benefits – who are often employed – as applicants for tenancies. The DSS ceased to exist in 2001, which suggests how longstanding this issue is). These claims all settled out of court. Now a claim has gone to judgment.’

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Nearly Legal, 14th July 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Self-ID for transgender people ‘unlikely’ to get ministers’ support – BBC News

‘Ministers are unlikely to back a major reform to the Gender Recognition Act, it is understood, amid fresh uncertainty over when the government will actually announce its plans.’

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BBC News, 14th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘No DSS’ letting bans ‘ruled unlawful’ by court – BBC News

‘A judge has ruled that blanket bans on renting properties to people on housing benefit are unlawful and discriminatory. The “momentous” court ruling found a single mother-of-two had experienced indirect discrimination when a letting agent refused to rent to her.’

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BBC News, 14th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The family court and vulnerable people – Transparency Project

Posted July 13th, 2020 in children, disabled persons, equality, families, family courts, news by sally

‘Judges and magistrates of the family court deal with some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Quite often, people will find it difficult to participate because of their vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities could cover a wide spectrum of barriers to participation: some litigants may have cognitive or mental health problems; some may have an intellectual disability; some may have a physical disability; and some may be particularly vulnerable as a result of the experiences they have suffered.’

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Transparency Project, 11th July 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Court of Appeal Re-examines Test for Causation Under Section 15 of the Equality Act 2010 – Old Square Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal has delivered judgment in the case of Robinson v Department for Work and Pensions [2020] EWCA Civ 859, a decision which confirms that it is insufficient for a Claimant to argue, on a claim under section 15 of the Equality Act 2010, that “but for” their disability they would not have been put in a situation that led to unfavourable treatment. Rather, the focus needs to be on the reasons for the treatment itself. In so finding, the Court has approved of the obiter comments of Underhill LJ in Dunn v Secretary of State for Justice [2019] IRLR 298.’

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Old Square Chambers, 7th July 2020

Source: www.oldsquare.co.uk

Marriage discrimination: Gould v St Johns Downshire Hill UKEAT/0002/20/BA – 3PB

‘The Claimant, Mr Gould, was a vicar of an evangelical Christian church, St Johns, Downshire Hill, in Hampstead, London (the Respondent). In August 2016, he was dismissed from his role. The reason given by the Respondent was an irretrievable breakdown in relations between the Claimant and the Trustees, the Leadership Team, certain members of staff and other members of the congregation. The Claimant alleged that the reason for his dismissal was the breakdown of his marriage in May 2015. He brought a claim to the ET, alleging direct marriage discrimination, and that his dismissal was for a discriminatory reason and procedurally unfair.’

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3PB, 1st July 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Sunderland Christian foster service ‘must allow gay carers’ says High Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Christian Foster service has been told it must allow gay parents to sign up as carers, the High Court has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Proposal To Scrap Juries ‘Shocking’ Amid Black Lives Matter Movement – Each Other

‘Proposals to scrap juries for some trials to reduce court backlogs would remove the “only part of the criminal justice process” proven not to discriminate against minority ethnic groups, a legal expert has warned.’

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Each Other, 9th July 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Review launched into police ‘race discrimination’ – BBC News

‘The police watchdog is launching a review into whether officers across England and Wales racially discriminate against ethnic minorities.’

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BBC News, 10th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk