‘Five years have passed since the Government announced its intention to ban conversion therapies. Here is what has happened since.’
The Independent, 3rd July 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘In R (MXK) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWHC 1272 (Admin), the Administrative Court held that:
the repeated detention of the claimants – foreign nationals with limited leave to remain – when they returned to the UK from travelling abroad, so that they could be questioned about their NHS debts, was unlawful;
the policy pursuant to which the claimants were detained (the “Policy”) was unlawful because it contained a positive statement of law which was wrong or, alternatively, because it failed to provide a full account of the legal position;
the Policy was unlawful because it was unpublished; and
the Secretary of State for the Home Department (“SSHD”) was in breach of the public sector equality duty (“PSED”) under s.149 of the Equality Act 2010.
In reality, the facts carried the day. This was true not only in relation to the unlawful detention issue, but also on some other points – for example, the SSHD failed to evidence any public interest in not publishing the Policy or any consideration given to the equality impacts of the exercise of the relevant powers of detention. Insofar as there are lessons to be learned, they are likely to be found in the criticisms levelled at the evidence (or lack thereof) provided by the SSHD.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 29th June 2023
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘A legal battle between the Cabinet Office and Covid public inquiry will be considered by the high court on Friday, amid wrangling over the issue of redacted documents, including Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages.’
The Guardian, 30th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Court of appeal judges have ruled that it is unlawful to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their claims processed, in a judgment that delivers a potential hammer blow to government policy.’
The Guardian, 29th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Home Office needs to process an asylum claim every four minutes between now and the end of the year if the prime minister’s pledge to clear the backlog is to be honoured, according to new data.’
The Guardian, 28th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Lone child asylum seekers are facing fivefold increases in delays in having their claims processed by the Home Office, with devastating consequences, according to a new report.’
The Guardian, 27th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Campaigners have raised concerns about the high proportion of refugees seeking to join family members in the UK who have their applications rejected by the government, despite using the “safe and legal routes” touted by the home secretary.’
The Guardian, 26th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Major reform of safeguards covering people detained under the Mental Capacity Act will be a matter for the next government, the current government has revealed.’
Law Society's Gazette, 22nd June 2023
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Ministers may be bringing in political “super-spads” through the backdoor by putting them on the boards of Whitehall departments, a leading committee of MPs has found, as it called for an overhaul of appointment rules.’
The Guardian, 21st June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Police leaders must make sure their officers are confident to use stop and search powers wherever necessary, to seize dangerous weapons and prevent knife crime.’
Home Office, 20th June 2023
Source: www.gov.uk
‘Hundreds of long-term sick and mentally ill people from the Windrush generation were sent back to the Caribbean in what has been described as a “historic injustice”, the BBC has found.’
BBC News, 21st June 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The National Council for Civil Liberties, also known as Liberty, is threatening a judicial review of the Home Secretary’s efforts to widen the circumstances in which the police can impose conditions on people organising or taking part in protests.’
Local Government Lawyer, 19th June 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Plans have been submitted to modernise the identification doctrine, a legal principle which can hold corporations criminally liable for an offence.’
Home Office, 15th June 2023
Source: www.gov.uk
‘Plans to improve the asylum system are “in doubt” unless the Home Office takes urgent action, the department has told the government’s spending watchdog.’
BBC News, 16th June 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘There is “little evidence” Albanians are at risk in their country and need asylum in the UK, a committee of MPs says. Albanian nationals should not routinely be granted asylum, the Home Affairs select committee said.’
BBC News, 12th June 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Placing unaccompanied children in hotels run by the Home Office is “unlawful”, according to a legal action launched after hundreds of youngsters living in them have gone missing.’
The Guardian, 11th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The UK constitution contains numerous ways that a serving Prime Minister can be deposed. Although we’ve seen this happen frequently in recent history—and especially over the past year—a wider discussion about these various exit points and their significance for the UK constitution has yet to emerge. But these exit avenues are undoubtedly important. Many world leaders have consolidated power in various ways in recent years, and some have floated refusing to leave office or staunchly resisted doing so. UK constitutional actors can and should be aware of these threats, and take measures to prevent them from happening. This post identifies four mechanisms for how UK leaders may be ousted: two formal options and two less formal options. It then further reflects on these mechanisms in terms of operation and recent events. At a time when many people lament the upholding of norms and values in the UK constitution, analysing these mechanisms could prove useful when assessing the need for and potential prospects of reform.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 5th June 2023
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘The Home Office faces a wave of legal claims after the UK’s surveillance watchdog found a blanket policy of seizing thousands of asylum seekers’ mobile phones caused “significant harm”.’
The Guardian, 4th June 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Home Office could be subject to a fresh judicial review over its plans to house asylum seekers on former military sites across the country after an East Sussex resident reached a crowdfunding goal to challenge plans to move people into a disused prison.’
Local Government Lawyer, 2nd June 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘A coalition of MPs and peers is calling for the “horrendous” practice of handcuffing children in care during transport to be banned.’
The Independent, 4th June 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2023