More synthetic opioids banned to protect communities – Home Office

‘Fifteen additional synthetic opioids are now under the strictest controls to prevent drug related deaths and ensure anyone caught supplying them faces tough penalties.’

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Home Office, 20th March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Small boat pilot jailed after endangering more than 50 lives – Home Office

‘A small boat pilot has been jailed after crossing the Channel with more than 50 migrants in a perilously overcrowded dinghy.’

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Home Office, 21st March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Former CPS chief says clampdown on protests risks creating ‘thought crimes’ – The Guardian

‘The former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales has warned against the risk of creating “thought crimes” amid the recent clampdown on protesters and demonisation of demonstrators by politicians.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thousands of UK women owed pension payout after ombudsman’s Waspi ruling – The Guardian

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in compensation, government departments, news, ombudsmen, pensions by sally

‘Thousands of women, potentially hundreds of thousands, are owed compensation because of government failings related to the way changes to the state pension age were made, a long-awaited official report has said.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rwanda flights: Lords inflict further defeats on government – BBC News

‘The House of Lords has inflicted fresh defeats on the government over its flagship Rwanda bill, meaning further delay to it becoming law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK smoking ban for those born after 2009 starts journey into law – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in bills, children, government departments, health, news, smoking, young persons by sally

‘Rishi Sunak’s plan to ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes is starting its journey into law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Disrespectful of the rule of law’? – Doughty Street Chambers

‘In Maleci (Non-admission of late evidence) [2024] UKUT 00028 (IAC) the Upper Tribunal, chaired by the President, has sought to address a long-running problem in both tiers of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber: the Home Office’s failure to comply with directions or co-operate in proper case management.’

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Doughty Street Chamber, 22nd February 2024

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Migrant Work, Gender and the Hostile Environment: A Human Rights Analysis – Industrial Law Journal

‘This article addresses work-related and gendered harms of the “hostile environment”, a set of measures implemented through the Immigration Acts of 2014 and 2016, which aims to make life in the UK impossible for irregular migrants. The hostile environment criminalises work without legal status, facilitates data sharing between public bodies and immigration enforcement, and restricts access services and benefits. The article examines factors that can make women susceptible to irregularity and exposure to hostile environment measures, and distinctive forms of gendered harm such as workplace sexual harassment. It argues that the detrimental impacts of the hostile environment contravene international and regional human rights obligations. Barring certain migrants from access to the labour market may violate the socio-economic right to work and/ or the right to private and family life, while a lack of access to legal remedy or labour inspection fuelled can violate migrants’ right to decent work and undermine protections against forced labour. The UK’s recent ratification of the Council of Europe’s “Istanbul Convention” and ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment at work signifies a renewed commitment to safeguarding women regardless of migration status, but the universalistic potential of these instruments is undermined by the hostile environment’s continued operation.’

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Industrial Law Journal, March 2024

Source: academic.oup.com

Rwanda bill could become law without independent scrutiny, says ex-watchdog – The Guardian

‘Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation bill could be forced on to the statute books without fulfilling the government’s legal commitment to independent scrutiny, the former borders watchdog has told peers.’

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The Guardian, 19th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Retailers who break new smoking ban face on-the-spot fines in UK – The Guardian

‘Powers to issue £100 on-the-spot fines are to be handed to council officers enforcing a landmark law banning future generations from smoking, which Rishi Sunak has hailed as a chance to “save thousands of lives and billions of pounds”.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office attempt to deport UK-born man was illegal, judge says – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2024 in citizenship, deportation, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘The Home Office acted unlawfully in trying to deport a British-born man who has never left the country to Portugal, from where his parents arrived more than 30 years ago, a judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

How has UK extremism definition changed and why is it attracting criticism? – The Guardian

‘The communities secretary, Michael Gove, has laid out a new definition of extremism. Here the Guardian examines what has changed and why, and the reason it is attracting criticism.’

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The Guardian, 14th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Madeline Gleeson & Theodore Konstadinides: The UK’s Rwanda policy and Lessons from Australia- UK Constitutional Law Association

‘In November 2023, the Supreme Court of the UK dealt a critical blow to the government’s proposal to send certain asylum seekers to the Republic of Rwanda. In AAA and Others v the Home Secretary, the Court ruled that removal to Rwanda would be unlawful because that country was not, at the time, a ‘safe country’.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th March 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Court of appeal decides the secretary of state is wrong, wrong, wrong: the charter applies to people with pre-settled status – Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law

‘Previously in the saga of benefits and pre-settled status (PSS – the status awarded to EU nationals and their family members covered by the Withdrawal Agreement if they have been in the UK less than 5 years), the UK government introduced regulations in 2019 stipulating that PSS awarded under the EU Settlement Scheme was not a sufficient right to reside for EU nationals to pass the habitual residence test when claiming many benefits. These regulations were challenged on the basis that they were discriminatory on the grounds of nationality, and while the Court of Appeal (COA) agreed in Fratila v SSWP [2020] EWCA Civ 1741, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) found in CG that people with PSS were not protected from nationality discrimination (Case C-709/20 CG v The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland EU:C:2021:602).’

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Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 8th March 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

Civil servants threaten ministers with legal action over Rwanda bill – The Guardian

‘Civil servants have threatened ministers with legal action over concerns that senior Home Office staff could be in breach of international law if they implement the government’s Rwanda deportation bill.’

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The Guardian, 12th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office is dysfunctional, says ex-borders watchdog David Neal – BBC News

Posted March 11th, 2024 in government departments, immigration, news, whistleblowers by tracey

‘The Home Office is dysfunctional and in urgent need of reform, the recently-sacked independent borders inspector has told the BBC’s Today Podcast.’

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BBC News, 11th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroner criticises benefits rules after vulnerable claimant’s death – The Guardian

‘A coroner has criticised the Depart­ment for Work and Pensions (DWP) after a woman died from an overdose in the wake of a six-month official investigation that left her with soaring universal credit debts.’

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The Guardian, 10th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coroners’ death reports reveal rise in NHS warnings – BBC News

Posted March 8th, 2024 in coroners, government departments, health, hospitals, news, statistics by sally

‘Coroners in England and Wales sent 109 warnings to health bodies and the government in 2023 highlighting long NHS waits, staff shortages or a lack of NHS resources, the BBC has found.’

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BBC News, 8th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Profession disappointed with slim Budget pickings – Legal Futures

‘The legal profession yesterday expressed disappointment at the lack of attention given to the justice system in the Spring Budget, which will see the Ministry of Justice’s expenditure fall next year by half a billion pounds.’

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Legal Futures, 7th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Afghanistan: Judge hunted by Taliban wins court case against UK government – BBC News

Posted March 8th, 2024 in Afghanistan, asylum, government departments, immigration, judges, news by sally

‘An Afghan judge who has been forced to go into hiding from the Taliban was wrongly refused relocation to the UK, the High Court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 7th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk