Category: news

‘In some respects, LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473 widens the courts’ approach to considering domestic abuse in the division of assets on divorce. However, the judgment also leaves important questions unanswered. As readers will be aware, s 25(2)(g) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (‘MCA’) allows the court to take account of ‘the conduct of each of the parties, if that conduct is such that it would in the opinion of the court be inequitable to disregard it’. The bar for conduct to be considered relevant is high. In N v J [2024] EWFC 184, Peel J confirmed that conduct must be ‘of a high degree of exceptionality’ [para 28]. He also remarked that ‘[t]he increasing awareness of the incidence of domestic abuse and its harmful and pernicious effects, does not lower the conduct hurdle to be surmounted in financial remedy proceedings’ [para 29]. The exceptionality requirement remains unchanged by LP v MP, and the judgment leaves open questions about the role of gender in that requirement.’

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Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 19th May 2026

Source: www.tandfonline.com

‘A London-based organisation has launched a new reporting platform for anti-Hindu hate crime amid concerns about a rise in religiously motivated offences.’

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BBC News, 21st May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Unprecedented employment tribunal service delays in England and Wales mean people bringing unfair dismissal claims are waiting up to five years for their case to be heard.’

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BBC News, 21st May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Employers can be sued for discrimination if they deny employees with agoraphobia the option to work from home, a tribunal has ruled.’

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The Independent, 20th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘The opinions of Local Authorities to “Council Prayers” have changed since events at Bideford, and last year the NSS observed that Reform councillorsimposed prayers on Derbyshire County Council after the party had taken control of the Council. More recently in Kent County Council (KCC), on 12 May 2026 Local Government Lawyer reported that the County Council’s monitoring officer had warned she may have to issue a section 5 report after members voted to debate a constitutional amendment that would see the Lord’s Prayer livestreamed during full council meetings.’

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Law & Religion UK, 20th May 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘In a guest post, Shiranikha Herbert looks at the faculty jurisdiction and the disposal of “church treasures”, with particular reference to a recent consistory case.’

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Law & Religion UK, 19th May 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘Drawing on examples from nations with a Westminster system of government, I argue that historical practice shows that, as a matter of constitutional convention, a person can be appointed as Prime Minister when they are not a MP, as long as they will imminently become one. (I will describe this period as the ‘interim period’ but this should not be equated with holding office on a caretaker basis where conventions impose limits on the exercise of powers.)’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th May 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

‘An appeal by Arun District Council against a planning inspector’s decision cannot proceed because the council failed to serve two defendants in time, the High Court has ruled, even though it did correctly serve the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th May 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘In dismissing the claim (BEA, R (on the application of) v Staffordshire County Council Neutral Citation Number[2026] EWHC 1190 (Admin)) brought over the local authority’s placement of the claimant’s son with his paternal aunt, Kimblin J made a number of additional comments about AI-generated arguments, Litigants in Person and the rise in JR volumes.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th May 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Data released on Wednesday [20 May] by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) shows 7,088 referrals were made in 2025-2026, marking the highest annual total since the body was established.’

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The Independent, 20th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘A university professor is facing a £180,000 court bill after his legal challenge against a neighbour, whom he accused of rendering his £680,000 London apartment “unsellable”, ended in defeat.’

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The Independent, 20th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Rachel Reeves is ​preparing to announce a planning shake-up ‌that would fast-track clean energy ​and infrastructure projects by curbing judicial reviews, the ​Treasury said.’

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The Guardian, 20th May 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘A nurse is expected to be struck off after she was found to have made “very serious” remarks about Jewish patients being tight with money.’

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The Independent, 19th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that Enough’s website, LinkedIn post and GoFundMe page made unproven claims about how evidence from their kits could be used in court and how many women were raped in the UK each year.’

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BBC News, 20th May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘A woman who claimed that she struggled to leave the house or walk was exposed as a benefit cheat after being caught on CCTV taking part in Zumba and body pump classes at the gym.’

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The Independent, 19th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Andrew Malkinson has sharply criticised the decision to deduct up to £10,000 in legal costs from his compensation, following 17 years spent wrongly imprisoned for a rape he did not commit.’

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The Independent, 19th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Mark Robinson of the Garden Court Crime Team explores what the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will mean for UK businesses.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 11th May 2026

Source: gardencourtchambers.co.uk

‘In Toogood v HM Senior Coroner for Somerset [2026] EWHC 634 (Admin), the High Court (Sweeting J) dismissed a challenge to a Coroner’s conclusion of suicide, providing a clear and practical restatement of three recurring themes in inquest law:

The post-Maughan approach to suicide determinations;
The limited role of alternative hypotheses; and
The high threshold for judicial review of evaluative findings.’

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Exchange Chambers, 11th May 2026

Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk

‘The Claimant was involved in a road traffic accident on 9 March 2018. On 19 March 2018, the Claimant’s solicitors submitted a CNF under the Pre-action Protocol for Low Value Personal Injury Claims in Road Traffic Accidents (“the RTA Protocol”), which stated the value of the claim was up to £10,000. On 9 April 2018, the claim exited the RTA Protocol. The Defendant later admitted liability.’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 13th May 2026

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

‘A “remorseless killer” who carried out a “frenzied and cowardly” attack on a model before trying to “paint himself as the Good Samaritan” who had come across an injured man lying in the street has been jailed for murder.’

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BBC News, 18th May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk