Trafigura returns to court in attempt to suppress lawsuit documents – The Guardian

Posted January 8th, 2010 in confidentiality, injunctions, news, parliament by sally

“Trafigura, the offshore oil trader that became notorious for legal attempts to suppress reporting of parliament, is going back to Britain’s judges tomorrow.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New rules for MPs to be outlined – BBC News

Posted January 7th, 2010 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Details of how MPs’ expenses will be overhauled are to be outlined as part of a public consultation on changes to the now discredited former system.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs’ expenses and allowances: legislation announced to implement Kelly recommendations – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 10th, 2009 in expenses, parliament, press releases by sally

“Further legislation will be introduced by the government to implement proposals put forward by Sir Christopher Kelly on the reform of the MPs’ expenses and allowances system.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 10th December 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

MPs face fines for abusing expenses – The Independent

Posted December 10th, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“MPs who abuse their expenses face being fined under new proposals to beef up the role of Parliament’s standards watchdog.”

Full story

The Independent, 10th December 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Constitutional change and the future of parliamentary democracy – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 24th, 2009 in constitutional law, news, parliament by sally

“An abridged version of a lecture given by Jack Straw at Brunel University’s Magna Carta Institute on Monday 23 November 2009.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 24th November 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

CPS asked to consider charging four parliamentarians over expenses – The Guardian

Posted November 24th, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament, prosecutions by sally

“Prosecutors have been asked to consider charging four parliamentarians in relation to expenses abuses, Scotland Yard said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs to face ‘trial’ if they refuse to repay expenses claims – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 9th, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“MPs who refuse to repay excessive or incorrect expenses claims could be forced to appear in public before a High Court judge to plead their case.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th November 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawyer will head new body to oversee MPs’ expenses – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 4th, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Professor Sir Ian Kennedy has not been offered the job, but his appointment was approved by the Speaker’s Committee, the group of senior MPs in charge of selecting the board of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) which will replace the fees office. That clears the way for his name to be put before MPs today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th November 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Peers to get standards watchdog – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2009 in corruption, news, parliament by sally

“The House of Lords is set to get its own standards watchdog in the wake of cash for influence allegations, Lords leader Baroness Royall has said.”

Full story

BBC News, 29th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs’ spouses ‘to fight job ban’ – BBC News

Posted October 28th, 2009 in employment, married persons, news, parliament, unfair dismissal by sally

“Spouses who are employed by MPs are preparing to look into legal action if they are barred from their jobs.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How I’d abolish the House of Lords, by Lord Bingham – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2009 in constitutional reform, lectures, parliament by sally

“This is an edited extract from the Jan Grodecki annual lecture, delivered last night at Leicester University.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill second reading – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 21st, 2009 in constitutional reform, news, parliament by sally

“Government proposals to end the hereditary principle in the House of Lords will be debated today as the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill has its second reading.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 20th October 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Free speech in parliament is precious, says lord chief justice – The Guardian

Posted October 21st, 2009 in freedom of expression, injunctions, news, parliament by sally

“Britain’s most senior judge has warned his fellow judges that he cannot envisage any circumstances in which it would be “constitutionally possible or proper” for a court to make an order that gagged debate in parliament. His warning follows the Guardian’s free speech victory last week when lawyers for the oil trading company Trafigura gave up their attempt to gag parliament over its dumping of toxic waste in Ivory Coast.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Carter-Ruck in new move to stop debate in parliament – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2009 in contempt of court, injunctions, law firms, news, parliament by sally

“The law firm Carter-Ruck has made a fresh move that could stop an MPs’ debate next week by claiming a controversial injunction it has obtained is ‘sub judice’.”

Full story

The Guardan, 16th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gordon Brown calls for reform of super-injunctions – The Guardian

Posted October 15th, 2009 in freedom of expression, injunctions, law firms, media, news, parliament by sally

“Gordon Brown today stepped into the row over the use of super-injunctions that ban reporting of a story and also the existence of the ban, telling MPs the legal tactic was ‘an unfortunate area of the law’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MP to report Carter-Ruck to Law Society over attempt to gag Guardian – The Guardian

Posted October 14th, 2009 in freedom of expression, injunctions, law firms, media, news, parliament by sally

“The law firm at the centre of the an unprecedented attempt by a British oil trading firm to prevent the Guardian reporting parliamentary proceedings is to be reported to the Law Society, it emerged today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawcast 155: The Guardian Gag affair with Carl Gardner – Charon QC

Posted October 14th, 2009 in freedom of expression, injunctions, internet, media, parliament, podcasts by sally

“Today I am talking to Carl Gardner, ex government lawyer, a barrister and author of The Head of Legal blog. We look at whether the Bill of Rights has, in fact, been infringed by the gag, the use of injunctions generally and specifically in this instance, the use of parliamentary privilege and whether the judges are going too far in granting injunctions which can, effectively, be destroyed in their effect by many thousands of angry people on twitter and in the blogosphere.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 13th October 2009

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Gag on Guardian reporting MP’s Trafigura question lifted – The Guardian

Posted October 13th, 2009 in freedom of expression, injunctions, media, news, parliament by sally

“The existence of a previously secret injunction against the media by oil traders Trafigura can now be revealed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Guardian gagged from reporting parliament – The Guardian

Posted October 13th, 2009 in freedom of expression, injunctions, media, news, parliament by sally

“The Guardian has been prevented from reporting parliamentary proceedings on legal grounds which appear to call into question privileges guaranteeing free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs with questionable claims to be barred from Lords – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament, peerages & dignities by sally

“MPs with questionable expenses claims will be barred from taking a seat in the House of Lords if they choose to stand down before the election.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk