Human rights protections inhibit employer sanctions over lawful strike action, rules Supreme Court – OUT-LAW.com

‘UK legislation allowing employers to take disciplinary action against employees for their participation in lawful strike action is in breach of those employees’ human rights, according to a new Supreme Court ruling.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 17th April 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Banning ritual prayers in school: Michaela Schools Trust – Law & Religion UK

‘In R (TTT, by her mother and litigation friend UUU) v Michaela Community Schools Trust & Anor [2024] EWHC 842 (Admin), the school’s governing body decided in 2023 to prohibit its pupils from performing prayer rituals on its premises after the Headteacher had banned them as an interim measure. That policy applied to all prayer rituals, regardless of religion, but there was no evidence that pupils of any religion other than Islam wished to perform prayer rituals during the school day. Muslims are required to pray five times a day. The claimant, a Muslim, accepted that the requirements of the school day meant that she would not always be able to fulfil that obligation during the appropriate period; however, she wished to be allowed to perform the midday prayer [Duhr], which during the autumn and winter months would be possible during the school lunch break – which, she argued, was “free time”.’

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Law & Religion UK, 17th April 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Lee Marsons: Developing an Ombuds Human Rights Practice – Essex Constitutional and Administrative Justice Initiative

Posted April 17th, 2024 in complaints, human rights, local government, maladministration, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The core function of public services ombuds is to investigate complaints from individuals about “maladministration” by public bodies which has caused injustice. But ombuds have developed several other important functions designed to improve people’s experiences of public services. For example, as seen in the Council of Europe’s 2019 Venice Principles, ombuds are developing a role ensuring that public bodies do not neglect human rights.’

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Essex Constitutional and Administrative Justice Initiative, 15th April 2024

Source: essexcaji.org

High court upholds top London school’s ban on prayer rituals – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2024 in equality, human rights, Islam, news, religious discrimination, school children by sally

‘A high court decision to uphold a prayer ban at one of the highest performing state schools in England has been welcomed by Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch, who described it as a “victory against activists trying to subvert our public institutions”.’

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The Guardian, 16th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Schools in England and Wales using ‘gender toolkit’ risk being sued by parents – The Guardian

‘Leading barrister warns that the kit – used to support gender-questioning children – is likely to be in breach of equality laws and could violate pupils’ rights.’

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The Guardian, 13th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

SLAPP campaigners call for ‘objective’ test in new law – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 12th, 2024 in bills, defamation, freedom of expression, human rights, news by sally

‘Prominent human rights lawyers Helena Kennnedy KC and Mark Stephens are among the legal signatories to a letter calling for a simpler test for a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) in legislation aimed at curbing abusive litigation.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th April 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Human Rights embrace Climate Change – Law Pod UK

Posted April 12th, 2024 in climate change, environmental protection, human rights, news, podcasts by sally

‘Strasbourg Court fashions human rights out of climate change. David Hart KC discusses latest developments with Rosalind English.’

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Law Pod UK, 10th April 2024

Source: audioboom.com

Judge rejects challenge to decision by Assistant Coroner not to hold Article 2 inquest into death of woman in fire at home – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 11th, 2024 in coroners, fire, human rights, inquests, judicial review, news by sally

‘The High Court has rejected a judicial review challenge to an assistant coroner’s decision not to hold an Article 2 inquest examining whether two public bodies had any responsibility for a woman’s death.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Strange Case of the Seven Year Child – EIN Blog

Posted April 9th, 2024 in children, families, human rights, immigration, news, young persons by tracey

‘The Private Life immigration route was introduced along with many other changes to the rules in July 2012 to implement the government’s view of its obligations under Article 8 ECHR. These rules have been amended several times since then, often in response to judicial findings and particularly in relation to children and young adults, by which we mean those under 18, and those aged between 18 and 24.’

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EIN Blog, 9th April 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

MPs propose decriminalising abortion up to 24 weeks – The Guardian

Posted April 8th, 2024 in abortion, bills, criminal justice, human rights, news, women by tracey

‘A cross-party group of MPs is proposing to make abortion access a human right in England and Wales, putting forward legislation that would decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks and introduce protections against access being stripped back.’

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The Guardian, 8th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Double Feature: Article 6 and extradition in Bertino and Merticariu – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 4th, 2024 in EC law, extradition, human rights, news, retrials, Supreme Court, warrants by tracey

‘On 6 March 2024 the Supreme Court handed down two separate judgments in the cases of Bertino v Public Prosecutor’s Office, Italy [2024] UKSC 9 and Merticariu v Judecatoria Arad, Romania [2024] UKSC 10. The constitution of the Court for both cases was the same with the judgments written by Lord Stephens and Lord Burnett. Lords Hodge, Sales and Burrows completed the panel.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th April 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

BSB will not investigate barrister over misgendering trans lawyers – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has decided not to investigate a gender-critical barrister who was accused of being transphobic by misgendering two trans lawyers.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd April 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.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

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

Discrimination, belief and the “fundamental party rights”: the judgment in Ali v Green Party of England and Wales – Cloisters

‘The County Court has given judgment in Ali v Green Party of England and Wales [Central London County Court, 9 February 2024]. For the first time, the court had to consider the interaction between the Equality Act 2010 association provisions, the protected characteristic of belief, and the rights of political parties and their members under the European Convention on Human Rights. The decision will be of great interest to political parties and campaigners of all kinds.’

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Cloisters, 9th February 2024

Source: www.cloisters.com

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

Courting controversy: the use of trigger warnings in teaching human rights law – The Law Teacher

Posted March 15th, 2024 in education, human rights, legal education, mental health, news, universities by sally

‘This article explores how legal academics approach sensitive topics in human rights law, specifically how content is chosen, curated and discussed with students. It draws on data collected as part of a small pilot study which looked at how human rights academics approach “controversial” topics and how their views on controversy and sensitivity may be reflected in their curriculum. It focuses on the wider debate around trigger warnings in higher education and explores how academics use them. It concludes that, despite their negative reputation, “trigger warnings” can play a necessary and welcome role in navigating sensitive material.’

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The Law Teacher, 1st March 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

The UK and the ECHR After Brexit: The Challenge of Immigration Control – EIN Blog

Posted March 15th, 2024 in asylum, brexit, EC law, human rights, immigration, news by sally

‘This article examines the challenges that immigration control-related political imperatives in the United Kingdom (UK) have posed for UK compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and evaluates the challenges that the UK’s moving away from ECHR compliance pose for its post-Brexit relationship with the European Union (EU) and its member states. The contribution begins with an examination of the constitutional parameters of UK (non-)compliance with the ECHR in the field of immigration control and the implications of this for the post-Brexit arrangements with the EU and its member states. The contribution then focuses on substantive immigration and refugee law and the impact of the current situation on asylum transfer co-operation within and outside of the EU. Through these areas, the article examines how EU law has infiltrated the interpretation of the ECHR with the result of raising standards of protection for asylum seekers and migrants and hampering the exercise of state sovereignty in the field.’

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EIN Blog, 14th March 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

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