High court to rule on MPs’ claim that data retention act damages privacy – The Guardian

‘High court judges will give their decision on Friday on an accusation that the government has imposed laws which allow the police and security services to “spy on citizens” without proper safeguards.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

David Cameron ‘must strengthen Evel plans to stop SNP maintaining ban on hunting in England’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 15th, 2015 in devolution issues, hunting, news, parliament, political parties, Scotland by tracey

‘David Cameron must strengthen his plans for “English votes for English laws”, senior Tories have said, after the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon forced him to shelve a vote on relaxing the fox hunting ban in England.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th July 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Royal Household will fall in sights of £100m child sex abuse inquiry – Daily Telegraph

‘The child sex abuse inquiry is set to last five years and cost up to £100 million, it has been confirmed, as it emerged the Royal Household will not be exempt from scrutiny over paedophile allegations.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th July 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

English votes for English laws plan ‘to be rewritten’ – BBC News

Posted July 9th, 2015 in bills, devolution, news, parliament by sally

‘Commons leader Chris Grayling says the government is rewriting its plans to give England’s MPs a veto over English laws, with a vote delayed to September.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs will only get 90 minutes to debate fox hunting before they vote on legalising it – The Independent

Posted July 9th, 2015 in hunting, news, parliament by sally

‘MPs will only be given 90 minutes to debate fox hunting before they vote on whether to legalise it, George Osborne has said.’
Full story

The Independent, 9th July 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Speech by Lord Justice Beatson: Closer Engagement with Parliament – Speech by Lord Justice Jack Beatson

Posted July 3rd, 2015 in judiciary, parliament, select committees, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice Beatson: Closer Engagement with Parliament.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 2nd July 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

‘English votes for English laws’ plan to be set out – BBC News

‘The government is expected to set out its proposals to give MPs from English constituencies the final say on laws affecting England only.’

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BBC News, 2nd July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges must not speak out on matters “hotly debated in Parliament”, Beatson LJ says – Legal Futures

Posted June 16th, 2015 in bills, judges, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

‘It would be wrong for judges to “intervene or to comment while a matter is being hotly debated in Parliament”, Lord Justice Beatson has said.’
Full story

Legal Futures, 15th June 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

MPs to debate assisted dying legislation – The Guardian

Posted June 10th, 2015 in assisted suicide, bills, news, parliament by sally

‘Private member’s bill to adopt Lord Falconer’s draft regulations that would allow terminally ill people the right to die subject to checks by doctors and a judge.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

We all had a right to see Prince Charles’s letters. But not any more, it seems – The Guardian

‘Downing Street’s decision to publish the second batch of letters that Prince Charles had sent to ministers was unexpected. The government had been preparing to resist the publication of the latest batch, covering the years 2006 to 2009, even though a previous batch, covering 2004 and 2005, was released after a ten-year legal battle with the Guardian.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Leon Brittan and Geoffrey Dickens’ notes from 1980s released – BBC News

‘Letters from the 1980s have been released, in which MP Geoffrey Dickens called for then-Home Secretary Leon Brittan to ban a pro-paedophilia group.’

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BBC News, 4th June 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Keir Starmer defends Human Rights Act in maiden Commons speech – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2015 in human rights, news, parliament, speeches by sally

‘The “put upon and the bullied” in society will suffer if the Tories press ahead with their manifesto pledge to scrap the Human Rights Act, former director of public prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 28th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Queen’s Speech: ‘English votes for English laws’ plan – BBC News

Posted May 27th, 2015 in constitutional reform, devolution, news, parliament by sally

‘Plans to give MPs from English constituencies an effective veto on laws affecting only England are included in the Queen’s Speech.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Human Rights on the Battlefield – BBC Unreliable Evidence

‘Clive Anderson and guests discuss the controversial suggestion that the UK should withdraw from human rights legislation and re-instate ‘combat immunity’ to protect the British Army from legal action.’

Listen

BBC Unreliable Evidence, 20th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The assisted dying debate – BBC News

Posted May 27th, 2015 in assisted suicide, bills, euthanasia, news, parliament, statistics by sally

‘Nearly 300 Britons have travelled to Zurich to die with the help of the Swiss suicide group Dignitas.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Attempt to scrap Human Rights Act will not get past Lords, Falconer warns Gove – The Guardian

‘A new British bill of rights is expected to be included in the Queen’s speech, but shadow lord chancellor says upper house would be within its rights to reject it.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Queen’s Speech 2015: Scrapping the human rights act, right to buy, and an EU referendum – what you can expect – The Independent

‘The Queen’s Speech marks the start of this session of parliament. The address, written by government ministers, is delivered by the Queen and lays out the Government’s agenda for the next year.’

Full story

The Independent, 26th May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal experts call for greater scrutiny of surveillance laws – The Guardian

‘An alliance of prominent academics have signed a letter to the government warning against any expansions of state surveillance without the full involvement of parliament and the public.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The difference between ‘affirmation’ and ‘oath’ – BBC News

Posted May 22nd, 2015 in news, oaths, parliament by sally

‘That most time-consuming of the traditional rituals surrounding the UK Parliament, the swearing in of all the MPs, has become an emblem of the changing shape of British society. A ceremony originally designed for exclusion – to keep out religious and political undesirables – has become a display of diversity, writes Stephen Tomkins.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The watchdog that would have scrutinised the end of the Human Rights Act just got quietly scrapped – The Independent

Posted May 22nd, 2015 in constitutional reform, EC law, human rights, magna carta, news, parliament by sally

‘The parliamentary committee that scrutinises proposed major constitutional changes been scrapped despite turbulent times ahead of the future of the United Kingdon’s governance.’

Full story

The Independent, 21st May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk