Grenfell Inquiry: Government petition launched calling minister to examine discrimination role in fire – The Independent

‘A government petition has been launched calling for an inquiry into the role of institutional discrimination in the Grenfell Tower fire. The petition is calling for an “independent, expertise-led and community-centred” inquiry into whether institutional racism, classism and/or discrimination against religion contributed to the events leading to the fire.’

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The Independent, 11th September 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Declan Jones: Community welcomes jailing of former police officer following attacks on Black men – The Independent

‘Campaigners have welcomed the jailing of a police officer who assaulted two Black people – including a child – as a positive step towards justice.’

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The Independent, 11th September 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rapist paramedic Andrew Wheeler faced investigation in 2010 – BBC News

‘A paramedic convicted of raping a patient had been reported to police by an ambulance service nearly a decade before he was charged.’

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BBC News, 13th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government poised to water down ‘radical and necessary’ overhaul of England’s planning system, report suggests – The Independent

‘The government is poised to abandon key elements of its “radical and necessary” overhaul of England’s planning laws – which ministers argued would “help us build the homes our country desperately needs” – following a backlash from Tory MPs and voters in the south, according to a report.’

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The Independent, 11th September 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Policing bill will deepen racial and gender disparities, say experts – The Guardian

‘A new policing bill that will be debated this week risks deepening racial and gender disparities in the justice system while forcing professionals to betray the trust of vulnerable people, hundreds of experts and a report have warned.’

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The Guardian, 13th September 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covid: Legal action begins over quarantine hotel rules – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2021 in coronavirus, government departments, holidays, hotels, judicial review, law firms, news by sally

‘A law firm representing travellers is taking the government to court over the UK’s quarantine hotel policy.’

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BBC News, 13th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Treat personal mitigation “with caution” in cases of sexual misconduct – Legal Futures

‘Personal mitigation needs to be treated with “caution” in the context of sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment, draft new guidance on disciplining barristers warns.’

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Legal Futures, 10th September 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Human Rights for Working Prisoners – by Virginia Mantouvalou – UK Labour Law

Posted September 10th, 2021 in employment, human rights, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons by sally

‘A few days ago it was highlighted in the press that the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers was in discussions with the Ministry of Justice. The aim of these was to explore how prisoners could be used to cover labour shortages, one of the many reported effects of Brexit. The scheme under which this could be done is the “Release under Temporary License”, which permits certain categories of prisoners who are on day release to work. Another group of prisoners who could work in this context are those with long sentences that are coming towards the end of these and who are idle for years while in prison.’

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UK Labour Law, 8th September 2021

Source: uklabourlawblog.com

Oldham man jailed for kidnapping woman from bus stop – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2021 in imprisonment, kidnapping, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A man who kidnapped a woman from a bus stop and dragged her into nearby bushes has been jailed for life.’

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BBC News, 9th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judicial review applications have continued to fall in first half of 2021: Ministry of Justice – Local Government Lawyer

‘The number of judicial review applications received in the first half of 2021 was – at 1,200 – down 16% on the same period in 2020, government data has revealed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK climate laws ‘falling short’ despite emissions reductions – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 10th, 2021 in climate change, environmental protection, news by sally

‘The UK’s “pioneering” climate laws have been more effective than legislative efforts elsewhere in the world – but are still failing to reduce emissions by an adequate amount, a campaigning legal group reports today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th September 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Remote GP calls may have contributed to five deaths, says coroner – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 10th, 2021 in coronavirus, coroners, doctors, inquests, news by sally

‘Remote GP appointments may have been a contributing factor in the deaths of five people who did not see their doctor face to face, a coroner has concluded.’

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Daily Telegraph, 10th September 2021

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Post Office scandal inquiry urged to put more focus on the lawyers – Legal Futures

‘The inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal has been urged to put more focus on the role of lawyers in perpetuating the organisation’s intransigence over the IT system’s problems.’

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Legal Futures, 10th September 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Unduly lenient’ jail term for killing during sex considered for appeal – The Guardian

‘The attorney general’s office is considering whether to appeal against the jail term of four years and eight months handed to a man who choked his lover to death during sex.’

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The Guardian, 8th September 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sally Challen defence QC leads domestic homicide review – BBC News

‘The defence barrister for Sally Challen, who was the first woman to have her murder conviction quashed under coercive control laws, is to lead a review into domestic homicide laws.’

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BBC News, 9th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aileen McHarg and Alison L. Young: The Resilience of the (Old) British Constitution – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘In 2009, Vernon Bogdanor wrote about The New British Constitution. His thesis was that a decade of New Labour reforms had produced a shift in the nature of the constitution, from one based on parliamentary sovereignty, to one based on the “sovereignty of the constitution”. Since 2009, further constitutional reforms have been implemented by governments of various political stripes, apparently consolidating the legalisation of the constitution, and the dispersal of power from the institutions of central government to Parliament, the devolved institutions, and the courts. The New British Constitution appeared to be firmly established. Recent events, however, demonstrate the shaky foundations of this new constitutionalism, with a growing trend towards a weakening of both legal and political checks on Governmental power. This blog post draws attention to this worrying trend, focusing on three key examples. It is based on the findings of the first report of the Constitutional Monitoring Group (of which the authors are both members), established to provide a biannual barometer of the state of constitutional principles in the UK. The report raises concerns not just about the potential consequences of this trend, but of the piecemeal and rapid manner in which it is occurring, with some important constitutional changes appearing to happen under the radar.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 8th September 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Lynette White murder: Cardiff Five are victims, chief says – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2021 in miscarriage of justice, murder, news, police, Wales by sally

‘Members of the so-called “Cardiff Five” should be “recognised as victims”, a senior police officer has said.’

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BBC News, 9th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 9th, 2021 in legislation by sally

SI 2021/1018 – The Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Commencement No. 19) Order 2021

SI 2021/1006 – The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Commencement No. 12) Order 2021

SI 2021/999 – The Compulsory Electronic Monitoring Licence Condition (Amendment) Order 2021

SI 2021/992 – The School Admissions (England) (Coronavirus) (Appeals Arrangements) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021

SI 2021/1001 – The Tuberculosis in Animals (England) Order 2021

SI 2021/994 – The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies and Notices) (Amendment and Suspension) (England) Regulations 2021

SI 2021/979 – The Indirect Taxes (Disclosure of Avoidance Schemes) (Amendment) Regulations 2021

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Parental alienation in practice – Transparency Project

Posted September 9th, 2021 in child arrangements orders, children, contact orders, divorce, news by sally

‘It is not uncommon to hear the phrase “parental alienation” in family courts in England and Wales. It is a term used to describe all manner of sins, ranging from minor parenting disputes to broad, unmitigated emotional and psychological harm to children. There has been much, and continues to be much, use of the phrase in discussions around the various issues facing the family courts and the appropriateness of the judicial remedies available to counteract it.’

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Transparency Project, 7th September 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 9th, 2021 in law reports by sally

High Court (Chancery Division)

PSV 1982 Ltd v Langdon [2021] EWHC 2475 (Ch) (08 September 2021)

High Court (Family Division)

MBC v AM & Ors (DOL Orders for Children Under 16) [2021] EWHC 2472 (Fam) (08 September 2021)

Source: www.bailii.org