Illicit finance crackdown only ‘first step in ensuring UK no longer oligarch safe haven’, MPs say – The Independent

‘Government efforts to crackdown down on illicit finance in the UK are only a “first step” in stopping the country being a safe haven for oligarchs, MPs on the influential intelligence and security committee have stressed.’

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The Independent, 15th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Keep EU law or face ‘unpredictable consequences’, former GLD chief warns – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 22nd, 2022 in brexit, EC law, news, select committees, statute law revision by tracey

‘The UK should retain the supremacy of EU law in order to avoid legal uncertainty and “unpredictable consequences”, the former head of the Government Legal Department has suggested.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st February 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Daniella Lock and Tanzil Chowdhury: Expansions of Executive Power and Weakening of Democratic Safeguards in 2021 – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The United Kingdom Constitution Monitoring Group published its first annual report in 2021. It described the UK Government as “set upon legislating over a range of substantial matters with a constitutional dimension”, with its overall programme being “notable for its scale, the speed with which it is being implemented” and this being “far from a model of good practice in constitutional change” (p5).

A significant aspect of the “constitutional dimension” of such changes is that they expand executive power in a number of different ways. This post presents a brief summary of key expansions of executive power via legislation introduced to or passed in the Westminster Parliament in 2021.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th January 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Balancing transparency and confidentiality ‘really difficult’ – McFarlane – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Greater transparency is necessary for the public to have confidence in the family justice system but balancing openness with confidentiality will be “really difficult”, the president of the Family Division told MPs today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th January 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Windrush: Home Office has compensated just 5% of victims in four years – The Guardian

‘Just 5% of Windrush victims have received compensation four years after the scandal emerged, according to a damning report by cross-party MPs which called for the scheme to be taken out of Home Office control.’

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The Guardian, 24th November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parliamentary Inquiry Condemns UK Government’s Handling Of Coronavirus – Each Other

Posted October 14th, 2021 in coronavirus, human rights, inquiries, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘The UK’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been deemed one of the worst ever public health failures, according to an inquiry report.’

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Each Other, 13th October 2021

Source: eachother.org.uk

The Macpherson Report more than 20 years on – Home Affairs Committee calls for urgent action to tackle deep rooted racial disparities in policing – Garden Court Chambers

‘More than twenty years on from the publication of the Macpherson report that followed the Inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, the Committee has found that there are still serious and deep rooted racial disparities, and that neither police forces nor governments have taken race equality seriously enough for too long.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 30th July 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

MPs call for ‘complete reset’ of music streaming to protect artists – The Guardian

Posted July 15th, 2021 in artistic works, competition, inquiries, internet, media, news, reports, select committees by tracey

‘Music streaming needs a “complete reset”, according to a damning parliamentary report that calls on the UK competition watchdog to investigate the commercial power wielded by major record labels.’

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The Guardian, 15th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘No justification’ for changing Human Rights Act, government told – The Independent

Posted July 9th, 2021 in human rights, news, parliament, select committees by tracey

‘There is “absolutely no justification” for the government to change the Human Rights Act, a parliamentary inquiry has found.’

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The Independent, 8th July 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Curbs on protests in policing bill breach human rights laws, MPs and peers say – The Guardian

Posted June 22nd, 2021 in bills, demonstrations, human rights, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘Restrictions on protests in the controversial new policing bill breach human rights laws and will increase the risk of peaceful demonstrators in England and Wales being criminalised, MPs and peers have warned.’

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The Guardian, 22nd June 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sewell says commission did find evidence of ‘persistent discrimination’ despite controversial race report – The Independent

Posted May 28th, 2021 in equality, inquiries, news, race discrimination, reports, select committees by tracey

‘A commission on racial inequality found evidence of “persistent race-based discrimination”, its chair told MPs on Thursday – despite barely mentioning the phrase in its widely contested report published earlier this year.’

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The Independent, 27th May 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Unjust’ six-month time limit for reporting domestic abuse to police must be extended, MPs urge – The Independent

‘The government must urgently extend the “unjust” six-month time limit for domestic abuse victims to report domestic physical violence to the police, according to MPs who are to raise the issue in parliament.’

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The Independent, 22nd May 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New laws could lead to politicisation of the NHS, leading MPs warn – The Independent

‘The Commons health select committee said the planned new powers that would be granted to Matt Hancock under proposed changes legislation lack the necessary safeguards or detail on how the powers would be used.’

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The Independent, 14th May 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Anti-protest curbs in UK policing bill ‘violate international rights standards’ – The Guardian

‘Anti-protest curbs contained in the new policing bill are disproportionate, hand subjective powers to officers and the home secretary, and violate international human rights standards, MPs and peers have been told.’

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The Guardian, 28th April 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges call for probe of discrimination in the judiciary – Litigation Futures

‘A group of serving judges has called on the justice select committee to conduct a “wholly independent audit” of discrimination in the judiciary.’

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Litigation Futures, 26th April 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Covid-19 and the courts – The House of Lords Constitution Committee’s report – Transparency Project

Posted April 14th, 2021 in constitutional law, coronavirus, courts, inquiries, news, select committees by sally

‘In a report published at the end of last month the House of Lords Constitution Committee made a number of criticisms of the way the courts have responded to the coronavirus pandemic and the suspension of live hearings necessitated by the lockdown, and made various recommendations as to the need for more resources to reduce the backlog of cases and create a better justice system for the future.’

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Transparency Project, 11th April 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Public Accounts Committee warns of “huge backlogs” in courts, justice system under “unprecedented pressure” – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Ministry of Justice “faces significant risks across the full range of its services, without a clear sense of prioritisation” and huge backlogs that have built up are causing “unacceptably long waiting times for people to access justice”, the Public Accounts Committee has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

MPs launch inquiry into Government approach to permitted development rights – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 25th, 2021 in housing, inquiries, local government, news, planning, select committees by sally

‘The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has launched a new inquiry to examine the Government’s approach to permitted development rights (PDR).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Criminals escaping justice as victims drop court cases due to delays, watchdog warns – The Independent

‘Rapists and other serious criminals are walking free because victims are dropping court cases because of delays, a watchdog has warned.’

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The Independent, 2nd March 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK government accused of ‘dragging heels’ on racism – The Guardian

‘The government is still “dragging its heels” on racism, according to MPs and race equality campaigners critical of its response to a damning parliamentary report on Black people and human rights.’

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The Guardian, 11th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com