UN: ‘Grave’ disability rights violations under UK reforms – BBC News
‘UK welfare reforms have led to “grave and systematic violations” of disabled people’s rights, a UN inquiry has said.’
BBC News, 7th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Christian couple refuse to give foster children to gay parents – The Independent
‘A husband and wife are fighting against their foster children’s adoption by two gay men because they “need a mother and father”.’
The Independent, 8th November 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Councils risk ‘legal action over care cuts’ – BBC News
‘Council cuts to care in England are so severe there is a real risk families may take legal action, experts say.’
BBC News, 8th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Prosecutors are failing ‘honour’ crime victims, say Met whistleblower – The Guardian
‘Prosecutors are failing to tackle “honour crimes” in British Asian communities for fear of causing unrest, a Scotland Yard whistleblower has said.’
The Guardian, 8th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Council right to seek injunction against vegetable processing plant: judge – Local Government Lawyer
‘It was reasonable for a council to apply for an interim injunction against a company over allegations of a bad odour from its vegetable processing plant, a High Court judge has ruled.’
Local Government Lawyer, 3rd November 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Cancer lie military clerk Simon Buckden jailed – BBC News
‘A former military clerk who lied about having cancer to swindle victims out of money and services worth more than £7,500 has been jailed for 16 months.’
BBC News, 7th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
British campaigners warn of emergency over online child sexual abuse – The Guardian
‘Child exploitation campaigners have warned of a looming “social emergency” after a report by the NSPCC suggested more than half a million men in the UK may have viewed child sexual abuse images on the internet.’
The Guardian, 8th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
EVENT: Discrimination Law Today – Threats and Opportunities (Discrimination Law Association Annual Conference 2016)
‘Book today to attend this year’s DLA conference: places are filling up fast.
Following the referendum on EU membership we find ourselves at a critical juncture for discrimination law. The DLA invites you to joint them in conversation about what the referendum result means for discrimination law, and what practitioners can do to maintain and enhance legal protection against discrimination.
The keynote speakers are Professor Uduak Archibong MBE and Clare Moody, MEP, and Robin Allen QC will speak on current trends in discrimination law. In the afternoon participants will be able to choose from a range of breakout sessions led by experienced practitioners with specialist expertise. The closing panel includes Professor Aileen McColgan of Matrix Chambers, Omar Khan of the Runnymede Trust, Ben Patrick of Unison and Sam Smethers of the Fawcett Society, and is followed by a drinks reception.
The DLA conference is renowned for its combination of cutting-edge legal commentary and insightful exposition and this year will be no exception. Join us to help shape the policy agenda for discrimination lawyers.’
Date: 14th November 2016
Location: Baker & McKenzie, 100 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6JA
Charge: £25-£180 depending on status and income: see website for details
More information can be found here.
Liz Truss defends judiciary after Brexit ruling criticism – The Guardian
‘The lord chancellor, Liz Truss, has broken her silence on the high court’s Brexit ruling, saying the independence of the judiciary was the “foundation upon which our rule of law is built”.’
The Guardian, 5th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Second (non-) succession – Nearly Legal
‘In Holley v Hillingdon LBC [2016] EWCA Civ 1052, Mr Holley was seeking to challenge the council’s decision to evict him and his brother from a three bedroom property that could sleep up to six persons, in which Mr Holley had lived for 32 years of his life and where he was suffering from a range of mental health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks and depression following his grandmother’s death in 2009. There had already been a statutory succession to Mr Holley’s grandfather, so Mr Holley was, “in the rather antiquated private law jargon”, a trespasser. The judge made a possession order on the basis that there were no seriously arguable defences under Articles 8 and 14.’
Nearly Legal, 1st November 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Ipswich murders: Suffolk Police arrest no kerb crawlers in six years – BBC News
‘No arrests for kerb crawling have been made in the past six years in a town where five sex workers were murdered, police figures show.’
BBC News, 5th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Nick Barber and Jeff King: Responding to Miller – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘The most surprising thing about the decision in R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union is that so many people have found the decision surprising. The reasoning in the case – essentially, that the executive is unable to use the prerogative to remove statutory rights – rests on a clear line of case-law going back four hundred years, and turns on a foundational principle of constitutional law. It is unremarkable that three of the country’s leading judges – the Master of the Rolls, the Lord Chief Justice, and the leading public law judge in the Court of Appeal – were able to produce a unanimous, clear, judgment restating this orthodoxy. The only remarkable thing about the judgment is how such quality was produced under such extraordinary time and political pressure.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 7th November 2016
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
High Court judge quashes DEFRA air quality plan over non-compliance – Local Government Lawyer
‘A High Court judge has this week quashed the Government’s Air Quality Plan 2015 over its failure to bring the UK into compliance with the law “as soon as possible”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 3rd November 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Workers’ rights in the gig economy – Technology Law Update
‘Last week a UK employment tribunal case came down on the side of a group of Uber drivers. It said that they qualified as “workers” and should receive certain protections and benefits.’
Technology Law Update, 1st November 2016
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
The vicious assault on UK judges by the Brexit press is a threat to democracy – The Guardian
‘The judiciary is a vital pillar of our constitution. The government must defend it from these unconscionable attacks – or put all our freedoms at risk.’
The Guardian, 4th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Advertisers and ‘vloggers’ both ‘responsible for accurately labelling ads’, says CAP – OUT-LAW.com
‘Advertisers and video bloggers (vloggers) have been issued with a reminder that they are both “responsible for accurately labelling” adverts contained in video blogs (vlogs).’
OUT-LAW.com, 7th November 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
Christian couple blocked from adoption amid ‘gay parents’ row – Daily Telegraph
‘A couple have been blocked from adopting their two foster children after expressing concerns about them being raised by a gay couple.’
Daily Telegraph, 6th October 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Number of people lodging unfair dismissal complaints plummets after Government introduces tribunal fees – The Indepedentn
‘The number of workers taking claims of unfair dismissal or discrimination to employment tribunals has slumped since charges came into force, a new study has revealed.’
The Independent, 4th November 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Brexit high court decision means nothing has been ruled out – The Guardian
‘Parliament has been jolted back to life by three judges, and the British political landscape is once again one of fury, division and uncertainty.’
The Guardian, 6th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
