Regulator seeks reform of UK payments infrastructure – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 9th, 2016 in banking, competition, news by sally

‘Plans to reform UK payments infrastructure have been outlined by the industry’s regulator after it found that current competition in the market is lacking and serving as a barrier to innovation.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th August 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Tribunal clears two solicitors of unwittingly enabling mortgage fraud – Legal Futures

Posted August 9th, 2016 in disciplinary procedures, fraud, mortgages, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has cleared two solicitors of being unwitting parties to a mortgage fraud, saying that once the mortgagor’s solicitor had been sanctioned in 2015, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) should not have continued its case against them as the purchaser’s advisers.’

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Legal Futures, 9th August 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

For too long the youth court has been seen as a ‘rehearsal court’ for lawyers at the start of their careers – Legal Voice

Posted August 9th, 2016 in criminal justice, news, young persons, youth courts by sally

‘Every day, the Youth Justice Legal Centre, set up by the youth justice charity Just for Kids Law, sees the criminal justice system failing young people. Now a growing body of opinion agrees it is time for reform, says Laura Cooper.’

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Legal Voice, 8th August 2016

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Labour to appeal High Court ruling that new members should have right to vote in leadership election – The Independent

Posted August 9th, 2016 in appeals, elections, news, political parties by sally

”Due this decision, we are now in the absurd position that Labour HQ is wasting members’ money to prevent members having a democratic vote on the leader of their choice, which has already been firmly upheld by a High Court judgement’.’

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The Independent, 8th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Anthony Long: Officer cleared after Azelle Rodney shooting attacks IPCC – BBC News

Posted August 9th, 2016 in complaints, firearms, murder, news, police by sally

‘An ex-Met firearms officer cleared of murder has said the police watchdog “seems to be treating officers as criminals”.’

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BBC News, 9th August 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watchdog demands banking overhaul to save customers money – The Guardian

Posted August 9th, 2016 in banking, competition, consumer protection, news by sally

‘A package of measures intended to help customers save £92 a year by switching their bank accounts has been unveiled by the competition watchdog after a two-year investigation into the sector.’

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The Guardian, 9th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Escaping “the jungle” must be done in an orderly manner – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 9th, 2016 in appeals, asylum, children, human rights, news, proportionality by sally

‘Four asylum seekers, namely three unaccompanied minors and one disabled adult, were in “the jungle” – the (increasingly permanent) temporary refugee and migrant camp in Calais – since October 2015. Having fled from war-torn Syria, they were trying to join their siblings in the UK. The problem was that the French system for processing asylum claims under EU rules would involve considerable delays and the evidence showed that the conditions in the camp were wholly inadequate: these children experienced physical violence and their medical needs were unmet. So they ignored the EU rules and issued a claim in the UK.’

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UK Human Right Blog, 8th August 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

What lies do to claims – the Supreme Court – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Twin doses of dishonesty in the Supreme Court, last month. Both raised dilemmas for the SC trying to steer a principled way (in different circumstances) towards determining the cost of lying.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th August 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

New Home Office API on Gay Asylum Claims: Not Fit For Purpose – Free Movement

‘The new Asylum Policy Instruction on Sexual Orientation Issues in the Asylum Claim, published last Wednesday, marks an unwelcome retrograde step for the Home Office, which still continues to apply the ‘voluntary discretion test’ to gay asylum claims, even though this has been held to be unlawful, as a matter of EU law, since July 2015. Having made positive strides with respect to the quality of decision-making since the public outcry over the sexually explicit methods of questioning gay asylum seekers in February 2014, in August 2016 this API will lead to sub-standard and unlawful decisions by the Home Office, and arguably Courts and Tribunals who rely on the API, leading to devastating outcomes to those returned to countries where they will suffer persecution.’

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Free Movement, 8th August 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Trading standards institute: consumers are no longer protected – The Guardian

‘Trading standards officers have accused the government of failing to protect consumers after it emerged that the local council budget for policing rogue traders has fallen to just £1.99 a year per citizen.’

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The Guardian, 7th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK ruling shows need for businesses to make purposes of actions subject to contract clear, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 8th, 2016 in appeals, contracts, news by sally

‘Only the “dominant purpose” of actions governed by commercial contracts will be considered by courts in dispute over what is meant by ‘the purpose’ of those actions unless businesses are more specific in the way they word those clauses, a litigation expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th August 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

A (brief) update on how the UK will deal with IP rights after Brexit – Technology Law Update

Posted August 8th, 2016 in brexit, copyright, EC law, enforcement, news, patents, referendums, trade marks by sally

‘The UK’s Intellectual Property Office has issued a briefing on the future for IP rights after Brexit. This gives IP owners some crumbs of comfort to innovative businesses, but little detail.’

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Technology Law Update, 5th August 2016

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Housing needs and household members – Nearly Legal

‘This was a judicial review of a decision by Luton Council Housing Appeals and Review Panel not to offer Mr Jones a tenancy of the property of which Mr J’s late father was the tenant, but instead offer a one bed property.’

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Nearly Legal, 7th August 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

How the Iraq Inquiry failed to follow the money – OUP Blog

Posted August 8th, 2016 in corruption, inquiries, international law, Iraq, news, statistics, war, war crimes by sally

‘In 2007, I published an article that sought to show in detail how the Iraqi economy had been opened up to allow the transformation of the economy and the routine corruption that enabled a range of private profit-making companies to exploit the post-invasion economy. The article argued that the illegal war of aggression waged by a ‘coalition’ headed by George Bush and Tony Blair was tied to a series of subsequent crimes of pillage and occupation. These included the transformation of the economy and the political system that was explicitly illegal under the terms of the Geneva and Hague Convention; and the mobilisation of political and economic instruments to ‘liberate’ the oil. The recently published Chilcot Report recognizes this corruption – and indeed UK joint legal responsibility for the corruption – and yet the evidence for it has been buried. – See more at: http://blog.oup.com/2016/07/iraq-inquiry-chilcot-money/#sthash.UiY9VxUh.dpuf

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OUP Blog, 31st July 2016

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Anger over legal aid bill for Ellie Butler’s parents – The Guardian

‘The grandfather of murdered six-year-old Ellie Butler has condemned the legal aid granted to her killer father, amid reports the taxpayer picked up a bill of more than £1.5m for his legal expenses.’

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The Guardian, 6th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

What you’re reading should be no business of the police – but our freedom of expression is at risk – The Independent

‘Think carefully before you pack your holiday reading. As The Independent reported earlier this week, Faizah Shaheen was detained under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act last month after cabin crew on her Thomson Airways flight spotted her reading a book about Syria.’

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The Independent, 7th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Serious Fraud Office starts Airbus inquiry – The Guardian

Posted August 8th, 2016 in aircraft, airlines, bribery, consultations, corruption, fraud, inquiries, news by sally

‘The UK’s Serious Fraud Office has confirmed that it has opened a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption in the commercial airline business of Airbus, the defence and aviation firm. The investigation into potential criminal dealings in the sale of commercial planes was launched in July but revealed at the weekend by the European manufacturer.’

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The Guardian, 7th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Orlando Bloom naked pictures: What privacy rights does the actor have? – The Independent

‘The Independent spoke to a media lawyer about whether Bloom’s legal right to privacy has been invaded by publication of the pictures’

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The Independent, 5th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Threefold rise in number of sex offences in schools reported to police – The Guardian

‘The number of sex offences in schools reported to police has almost trebled in four years, a study has shown.’

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The Guardian, 8th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court ruling due on whether new Labour members can vote in leadership contest – Daily Telegraph

‘A High Court judge is ruling on a bid by five new members of the Labour Party who have “paid their dues” for the legal right to vote in the forthcoming leadership election.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th August 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk