Writing fake online reviews could be made illegal – BBC News

‘A plan to crack down on online rip-offs including making it illegal for people to write or host fake reviews has been outlined by the government.’

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BBC News, 19th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK bus privatisation breached basic rights, says ex-UN rapporteur – The Guardian

Posted July 20th, 2021 in contracting out, news, reports, transport by sally

‘Britain’s bus services outside London were so damaged by privatisation that people were unable to access basic needs such as work, education and healthcare, according to a scathing report by the former UN special rapporteur on human rights.’

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The Guardian, 19th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Gay rugby player wins five-year battle against deportation to Kenya – The Guardian

‘A gay rugby player is celebrating after winning a five-year battle against deportation to Kenya, where he feared he would be persecuted because of his sexuality.’

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The Guardian, 19th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Building Safety Bill – Commons Library Research Briefing

‘Second Reading of the Building Safety Bill (Bill 132 of 2021-22) is expected to take place on Wednesday 21 July.’

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House of Commons Library, 16th July 2021

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Article 31 of the Refugee Convention – Commons Library Research Briefing

Posted July 19th, 2021 in asylum, bills, immigration, news, parliament, refugees by michael

‘Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention is concerned with “refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge”.’

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House of Commons Library, 15th July 2021

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Nationality and Borders Bill 2021-22 – Commons Library Research Briefing

‘The Nationality and Borders Bill of 2021-22 was introduced to the House on 6 July. Second reading will take place on 19 and 20 July.’

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House of Commons Library, 15th July 2021

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Fraudster jailed for duping over 200 victims in million-pound fake car sales scam – Crown Prosecution Service

‘A fraudster posing as a car salesman has been jailed today (16 July 2021) for defrauding over 200 unsuspecting car buyers out of more than one million pounds.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 16th July 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Colin Pitchfork: Double killer will not be on sex offenders register – BBC News

Posted July 19th, 2021 in child abuse, DNA, forensic science, murder, news, parole, rape, sexual offences by michael

‘A man who raped and murdered two 15-year-old girls will not be placed on the sex offenders register when he is released.

The Ministry of Justice said it was because Colin Pitchfork’s crimes were committed before 1997, when the register was introduced.’

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BBC News, 19th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Post Office Horizon scandal: More subpostmasters cleared – BBC News

‘The Court of Appeal has cleared 12 more former subpostmasters who were wrongly convicted of offences during the Post Office Horizon scandal.’

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BBC News, 19th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Calls for legal review of UK welfare screening system which factors in age – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2021 in age discrimination, equality, fraud, local government, news by michael

‘An automated system that screens welfare claimants for signs they might commit fraud or error has based its verdicts in part on applicants’ age, it has emerged, sparking calls for a review of whether the system is legal.’

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The Guardian, 18th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK government seeks to extend protection of ivory-bearing animals – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2021 in animal cruelty, animals, government departments, news by michael

‘The plans would see the Ivory Act broadened to cover more animals, with ministers saying elephants are not the only species at risk. The proposed protections opened for public consultation on Saturday [17 July], and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has urged industry stakeholders and members of the public to share their views.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Laws of nature: could UK rivers be given the same rights as people? – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2021 in environmental health, environmental protection, human rights, news, water by michael

‘In 2018, Frome Town Council tried to pass a bylaw giving part of the river [Frome] and the adjacent Rodden meadow the status of a person in law. This would establish their right to exist, flourish and thrive, and for the river to flow freely and have a natural water cycle, as well as ensuring timely and effective restoration if they were damaged.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Charity launches legal challenge against UK’s foreign aid cuts – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2021 in budgets, charities, government departments, judicial review, news by michael

‘A charity has launched a legal challenge against Boris Johnson’s £4bn of cuts to the foreign aid budget which critics warn will cause significant suffering to some of the world’s poorest people.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sarah Everard murder: Met Police sacks Wayne Couzens – BBC News

Posted July 19th, 2021 in disciplinary procedures, kidnapping, murder, news, police, rape, sexual offences by michael

‘The police officer who murdered Sarah Everard has been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police, a week after admitting the crime.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shane Mayer: Three jailed over fatal Darlaston stabbing – BBC News

Posted July 19th, 2021 in homicide, imprisonment, murder, news, offensive weapons, sentencing by michael

‘Three men have been jailed for killing a man in a fight outside a bar.

Shane Mayer, 21, died in hospital after being stabbed in Darlaston, West Midlands, in July 2019.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pandemic Sees Huge Rise In Reports Of Stalking – Each Other

‘Stalking offences in England and Wales have seen a “significant increase” during the pandemic, according to police.’

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Each Other, 15th July 2021

Source: eachother.org.uk

Lammy hits out at “absolute scandal” of judicial diversity – Legal Futures

Posted July 16th, 2021 in barristers, diversity, judiciary, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘It is an “absolute scandal” that just 1% of judges are Black, the shadow Lord Chancellor has declared in the wake of figures that showed a decline in the number of solicitors on the bench too.’

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Legal Futures, 16th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Reading by the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge: English Law and Descent into Complexity – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted July 16th, 2021 in judges, news, rule of law by sally

‘Reading by the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge: English Law and Descent into Complexity.’

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 15th July 2021

Source: www.judiciary.uk

New report shows impact of the pandemic on those training for the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 16th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, legal education, news, statistics by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board has today published the seventh and final annual edition of its statistical information relating to student performance on the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC). As the report has shown in previous years, training for the Bar remains highly competitive.’

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Bar Standards Board, 15th July 2021

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Judicial diversity goes into reverse as barristers dominate – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 16th, 2021 in barristers, diversity, judiciary, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘Latest diversity statistics show once again a judiciary dominated by barristers – with the number of non-barristers in post lower than it was in 2014.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th July 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk