Lords tear into legal aid bill – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 22nd, 2011 in bills, domestic violence, legal aid, negligence, news, parliament by sally

“The Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders passed its second reading in the House of Lords last night after an eight-hour battering from peers. Following a debate in which 51 of the 54 members who rose to speak criticised the bill, justice minister Lord McNally, responding for the government, promised ‘to listen’ to the ‘strong concerns’ raised particularly in relation to domestic violence and clinical negligence.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd November 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

One of the “great unspoken problems” about human rights law – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 15th, 2011 in human rights, judicial review, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

“… is at the core of Jonathan Sumption QC’s FA Mann lecture. His central point is not human rights as such, but our misconception of Parliament and the perceived need for judicial constraints on the action of the state.”

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Uk Human Rights Blog, 15th November 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Jonathan Sumption shows a certain naivety – The Guardian

“The supreme court’s newest recruit worries that judges are making policy. But parliament always has the last word.”

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The Guardian, 9th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New House of Commons code of conduct could be extended to MPs’ private lives – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 9th, 2011 in news, parliament, professional conduct by tracey

“MPs could be punished for indiscretions in their private lives if their actions embarrass Parliament, under a new code of conduct.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Calls for UK laws to be made easier to understand – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2011 in legal language, legislation, news, parliament by sally

“Peers have called on the government to look at options for making UK legislation easier to understand, including the use of digital technology to present laws in a clearer format.”

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BBC News, 7th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two peers jailed for expenses fraud facing Lords ban – BBC News

Posted November 4th, 2011 in expenses, false accounting, news, parliament, peerages & dignities by tracey

“Two peers convicted of expenses fraud should be suspended from the House of Lords, a key committee has said.”

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BBC News, 4th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Warning over Henry VIII style law powers – The Independent

“Plans for sweeping new Henry VIII-style powers would enable ministers to rewrite the statute book without consulting Parliament, a report warned today.”

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The Independent, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legislation nightmares leave us scratching our heads – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 2nd, 2011 in civil justice, criminal justice, legislative drafting, news, parliament by tracey

“As Stephen Levinson’s recent post has reminded us, we are not living in a golden age of legislative drafting. In the field of criminal law, some particularly ghastly examples of bamboozling legislation can be found in various provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 – described by no less an authority than Rose LJ as ‘at best, obscure and, at worst, impenetrable’ (R v Campell [2006] EWCA Crim 726, [2006] 2 Cr App R (S) 626 at [1]).”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd November 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

MPs call for Commons debate on UK’s extradition rules – BBC News

Posted November 1st, 2011 in extradition, news, parliament, proof by sally

“A cross-party group of MPs is demanding a full Commons debate on the UK’s extradition rules.”

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BBC News, 1st November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Downing Street brings forward Commons vote on EU referendum – The Guardian

Posted October 20th, 2011 in EC law, news, parliament, referendums by tracey

“Downing Street has brought forward a sensitive House of Commons vote on Europe next week amid fears that Tory MPs were planning to use David Cameron’s absence on an overseas visit to stage a large rebellion.”

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The Guardian, 19th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Met police to explain legal threat against Guardian to MPs in secret – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2011 in media, news, official secrets act, parliament, police, private hearings by tracey

“The Metropolitan police is to be allowed explain to MPs in private why it threatened to invoke the Officials Secrets Act in an attempt to force the Guardian to hand over notes and reveal sources behind its phone-hacking coverage.”

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The Guardian, 21st September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Expenses fraud MP Elliot Morley freed – The Independent

Posted September 21st, 2011 in detention, early release, expenses, fraud, news, parliament by michael

“Former environment minister Elliot Morley has been freed from prison after serving a quarter of his 16-month sentence for fiddling his parliamentary expenses, sources said.”

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The Independent, 20th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 16th, 2011 in legislation, parliament by tracey

Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Peers end deadlock over fixed term parliaments – BBC News

Posted September 15th, 2011 in bills, constitutional reform, news, parliament by tracey

“Ministers have narrowly won their parliamentary battle over plans to hold general elections every five years.”

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BBC News, 14th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoD condemned for ‘insensitive’ treatment of ex-war prisoners – The Guardian

Posted September 14th, 2011 in armed forces, compensation, complaints, news, ombudsmen, parliament, prisoners of war by tracey

“Parliamentary ombudsman orders department to pay family who were repeatedly refused compensation for their ordeal.”

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The Guardian, 14th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

James Murdoch recalled by phone hack MPs – The Independent

Posted September 13th, 2011 in interception, media, news, parliament, telecommunications by tracey

“James Murdoch is to face a fresh grilling by MPs investigating the News of the World phone hacking scandal, it was announced today.”

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The Independent, 13th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Peers concern at ‘tsunami’ of new legislation – BBC News

Posted September 6th, 2011 in legislation, legislative drafting, news, parliament by sally

“A ‘tsunami’ of legislation means laws are being passed without proper scrutiny, peers have told the BBC.”

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BBC News, 5th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Timeline: When Parliament has been recalled – BBC News

Posted August 11th, 2011 in news, parliament by sally

“Parliament is being recalled after the recent violence in London, only the 14th parliamentary recall in 30 years.”

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BBC News, 9th August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Parliament recalled to tackle riots – David Cameron – BBC News

Posted August 9th, 2011 in news, parliament, violent disorder by sally

“Parliament is being recalled on Thursday in response to rioting in England, the Prime Minister has said.”

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BBC News, 9th August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Former Livingston MP Jim Devine leaves prison – BBC News

Posted August 1st, 2011 in early release, expenses, fraud, news, parliament, sentencing by tracey

“Former Labour MP Jim Devine has been released from prison after serving a quarter of his 16-month sentence for expenses fraud.”

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BBC News, 1st August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk