SLAPPs – defamation, privacy, public participation and reform – Mills & Reeve

‘SLAPPs – what are they? If you’ve asked yourself that question, it’s most likely a good thing. In this article we take a look at the impact of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), which present an important issue within society, politics and the legal profession, particularly in a libel and privacy context.’

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Mills & Reeve, 14th March 2023

Source: www.mills-reeve.com

Speeding driver jailed over biker chase death in Birmingham – BBC News

Posted March 16th, 2023 in homicide, news, road traffic offences, sentencing by sally

‘A woman who chased and hit a motorcyclist in her car, leaving him fatally injured, has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 15th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dawn French ad cleared by watchdog after title of show draws complaints – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2023 in advertising, complaints, news, theatre by sally

‘An ad that read “Dawn French is a Huge Twat” – the title of her live show – has been cleared by the advertising watchdog after complaints it was offensive.’

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The Guardian, 15th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is Sharing Caring? Disclosures from the Family Courts to Professional Regulators – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Guardian newspaper reported the decision in Re X (Disclosure to Social Work England: Findings of Domestic Abuse) [2023] EWHC 447 (Fam) with the headline, “social worker who abused ex-partner loses fight to keep details from regulator”. Reading that one might instinctively think, “well, of course he lost”. For my part, when I read beyond the Guardian’s journalism and into Knowles J’s 67 paragraph judgment in this matter, I may also have thought “well, of course he lost”.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 14th March 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Scheme putting police in mental health teams must end, says NHS England – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2023 in hospitals, mental health, news, police by sally

‘A controversial mental health monitoring system, which embedded police officers in clinical teams, must no longer be used in mental health services, NHS England has said.’

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The Guardian, 14th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace: innocent until proven ‘guilty’? – Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog

‘This week Tony Danker stepped down from his role as director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) while an independent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct takes place.’

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Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 13th March 2023

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Sunak’s Windsor Compromise – City Law Forum

Posted March 15th, 2023 in brexit, EC law, government departments, news, Northern Ireland by sally

‘The Windsor Framework (WF) concluded between the UK and EU to resolve the difficulties associated with the Irish Border reflects a significant compromise, with the UK giving the most ground. The brainchild of a more pliant and technocratic Prime Minister than his two predecessors, Rishi Sunak’s WF is in many respects an agreement that should never have been needed. The new arrangement essentially compels the EU to do what it should have done under the original Northern Ireland Protocol, i.e. impose no unreasonable barriers to trade between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI) while maintaining sufficient safeguards that its Single Market would not be flooded with UK goods.’

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City Law Forum, 10th March 2023

Source: blogs.city.ac.uk

Experts Call on UK Government to End Worker Exploitation in the Care Industry – EIN Blog

‘The global economic crisis has pushed many vulnerable people around the world into seeking employment opportunities abroad. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are subjected to modern slavery practices. The UK is no exception as reports of exploitation of migrant care workers by employers and recruiters have emerged in recent years. According to a report from the Centre for Social Justice, an estimated 13,000 people have been subjected to modern slavery in the UK.’

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EIN Blog, 13th March 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

What are the new developments with football banning orders? – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2023 in football banning orders, internet, news, public order, racism, sport by sally

‘Legislation introduced last year has been used for the first time to hand a football fan a three-year banning order for racially abusing Premier League striker Ivan Toney online.’

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The Independent, 14th March 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Migration bill ‘would rock the UK’s standing as a reliable nation’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Law Society speaks out as measure aimed at tackling small-boat crossings goes before House of Commons.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 13th March 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Jeremy Letwin: The Bill of Rights Bill and the Modern Mirror Principle – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted March 15th, 2023 in bills, brexit, constitutional law, government departments, human rights, news by sally

‘The Bill of Rights Bill which is currently before Parliament aims, at least in some respects, to weaken the link between domestic courts and the ECtHR. Many predicted the Bill might seek to do this, and it has provoked considerable controversy. Though clauses 3(1) and 3(2) of the Bill are not without their critics, the controversy has mainly focused on clause 3(3)(b), which provides that the domestic courts “may adopt an interpretation of the right that diverges from Strasbourg jurisprudence”, and on clause 3(3)(a), which provides that domestic courts “may not adopt an interpretation of the right that expands the protection conferred by the right unless the court has no reasonable doubt that the European Court of Human Rights would adopt that interpretation if the case were before it”.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th March 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Eleanor Williams jailed for eight and a half years after rape and trafficking lies – The Guardian

‘A woman has been jailed for eight and a half years after being found guilty of lying about being raped and trafficked by an Asian grooming gang, and making false rape claims against a series of other men.’

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The Guardian, 14th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Somaiya Begum: Uncle guilty of killing niece who refused marriage – BBC News

Posted March 15th, 2023 in families, forced marriages, murder, news by sally

‘A man has been found guilty of murdering his 20-year-old niece after she refused a forced marriage.’

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BBC News, 14th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appeal judges reject bid to increase jail term of man who murdered colleague – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2023 in appeals, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected a bid to increase the sentence of a violent porn-obsessed lab technician jailed for the brutal killing of his female colleague.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Asylum seekers win permission to challenge UK’s Rwanda policy – The Guardian

‘A court of appeal judge has ruled that a group of asylum seekers can bring a legal challenge against the Home Office for what they claim has been a failure to consider the dangers and risks of deporting them to Rwanda.’

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The Guardian, 14th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Insulate Britain protester jailed for stopping traffic on M4 – BBC News

Posted March 14th, 2023 in climate change, demonstrations, news, nuisance, roads, sentencing by sally

‘An Insulate Britain protester has been jailed for five weeks for obstructing the motorway, causing huge disruption.’

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BBC News, 13th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jed Meers, Joe Tomlinson, Alice Welsh and Charlotte O’Brien: Rights on Paper? The Discriminatory Effects of Digital Immigration Status on Private Landlord Decisions – Constitutional Law Association

‘Under the EU settlement scheme, millions of EU, EEA and Swiss nationals have been granted “digital-only” immigration status. Instead of having physical documentation to prove their immigration status, these individuals must rely on an online proof-of-status service through the GOV.UK website. We wanted to examine whether individuals with this form of “digital only” status are disadvantaged in the private rented sector by exploring the decision-making behaviour of English landlords when choosing between prospective tenants. The so-called “Right to Rent” policy requires English private landlords to check the immigration status of a tenant or lodger, to ensure they can legally rent their property. In practice, this happens by inspecting their proof of ID. We therefore had two questions. First, are the tenant preferences of English private rented sector landlords influenced by ID status? Second, to what extent is ID status a significant factor in English private rented sector landlord preferences, relative to factors already known to influence landlord decision-making (such as age, gender, ethnicity, and occupation)?’

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Constitutional Law Association, 14th March 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Eco-anxiety “a wellbeing issue” for barristers – Legal Futures

Posted March 14th, 2023 in barristers, climate change, environmental protection, mental health, news by sally

‘Eco-anxiety, a form of anxiety linked to the climate crisis, is a wellbeing issue for barristers which “should be taken seriously” by chambers, a KC and environmental law specialist has said.’

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Legal Futures, 14th March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 14th, 2023 in legislation by tracey

SI 2023/320 – The Gas Safety (Management) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023

SI 2023/319 – The Amendments of the Law (Resolution of Silicon Valley Bank UK Limited) Order 2023

SI 2023/312 – The Alcoholic Beverages (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Eleanor Williams sentencing: Men tried to take own lives over rape lies – BBC News

Posted March 14th, 2023 in news, perverting the course of justice, rape, suicide by sally

‘Three men tried to take their own lives after being falsely accused of rape and trafficking, a court has heard.’

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BBC News, 13th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk