‘As has been widely reported, the ‘lockdown’ imposed by the UK Government to tackle the continuing pandemic is governed in the main by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/350) (the Original Regulations).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 1st May 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘More than 9,000 fines have been issued in England and Wales for breaching coronavirus lockdown restrictions.’
BBC News, 30th April 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Sweeping and unprecedented rules, previously unimaginable, have been enacted by the Government to delay the spread of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Taken together, these changes constitute the most restrictive and draconian laws imposed in England since the Second World War. In particular, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (‘the Regulations’) were enacted on 26 March 2020 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock. These Regulations impose severe restrictions mandating the closure of certain types of businesses alongside prohibitions on freedom of assembly and freedom of worship.’
New Square Chambers, 20th April 2020
Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk
‘The spread of the coronavirus has caused disruption to our lives and the operation of society in ways that the vast majority of us have never experienced in our lifetime. The drastic measures adopted by the Government in response to the rapid spread of the disease, including putting the country into “lockdown”, required numerous amendments to be made to existing laws; this included those concerning residential and business tenancies and, more specifically, the rules relating to the eviction of tenants. The amendments increase the protections for tenants during the crisis.’
4 King's Bench Walk, 22nd April 2020
Source: www.4kbw.co.uk
‘The Coronavirus Act 2020 (“the Act”) came into force on 25th March 2020. Among other things, the Act confers powers on public health officers, constables, and immigration officers to enable them to manage potentially infectious persons during the Covid-19 crisis. Schedule 21 of the Act contains provisions that enable the relevant officials to exercise their powers in respect of individuals in England, Wales and Scotland. This article will only focus on Part 2 of Schedule 21, which pertains to the powers of the government in England.’
3PB, 17th April 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
‘As Hippocrates remarked at the height of the Plague of Athens in 430BC, desperate times call for desperate measures. The deadly coronavirus has brought forth desperate measures almost everywhere, and the keystone of this country’s response to the crisis is the Coronavirus Act 2020. This post focusses on some key aspects of it, asking how the new offences relating to “potentially infectious” persons are defined and whether the Act as a whole is necessary.’
6KBW College Hill, 16th April 2020
Source: blog.6kbw.com
‘Society is experiencing the biggest Government led restriction of movement since the Second World War, instigated by The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 which came into force at 1pm on 26th March 2020.’
St John's Buildings, 15th April 2020
Source: stjohnsbuildings.com
‘The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 were made by the Health Secretary on 26 March 2020. Understandably, given the speed with which the crisis was and still is developing, the Regulations were made using a statutory emergency procedure, meaning that they were not subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. They have yet to be challenged in the courts. In the meantime, a lively and important debate has developed about whether those regulations are lawful.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 20th April 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Marie Dinou, the woman from York convicted of a non-existent coronavirus offence after being found “loitering between platforms” at Newcastle railway station was lucky to be charged with something newsworthy. Had hers been a mundane motoring charge it is highly unlikely that anyone would have spotted that her treatment by the police and the justice system was stupid, incompetent and unlawful.’
Pump Court Chambers, 7th April 2020
Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com
‘The Coronavirus Act 2020 (“the Act”) came into force on 25th March 2020. Among other things, the Act confers powers on public health officers, constables, and immigration officers to enable them to manage potentially infectious persons during the Covid-19 crisis. Schedule 21 of the Act contains provisions that enable the relevant officials to exercise their powers in respect of individuals in England, Wales and Scotland. This article will only focus on Part 2 of Schedule 21, which pertains to the powers of the government in England.’
3PB, 17th April 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
‘Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 (‘EqA’) defines the protected characteristics as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. The current public health and economic emergency that society and business face has the potential to impact upon each protected characteristic. For example, there are reports of increased racist behaviour and commentary targeting Chinese and Italian citizens. There have also been publicised grievances around a requirement to wear protective equipment and the impact on religious dress. Such issues could be tested in the courts under the provisions of the EqA.’
3PB, 7th April 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
‘On 26 March 2020 the four countries of the United Kingdom became subject to regulations setting out the most severe restrictions on liberty ever imposed. Those restrictions are vitally necessary for fighting the coronavirus. This article analyses the range of legal issues that the restrictions give rise to, investigating what further refinements and reinforcement are required to ensure they are placed on a more secure legal footing.’
Blackstone Chambers, 6th April 2020
‘Police in Wales have fined a group of Londoners who were caught camping around 250 miles from the capital during the lockdown.’
The Independent, 19th April 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The current pandemic has led to a flood of emergency legislation. This post deals with The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020 No. 350) made under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, which supplement the Coronavirus Act 2020. The Regulations are, as is now trite, the strictest control on peacetime life in the modern history of the United Kingdom, and they set out the limits of the “lockdown” and how it is to be enforced. This post aims to set out how the Regulations apply to individuals, and provide some analysis of their contents.’
6KBW College Hill, 6th April 2020
Source: blog.6kbw.com
‘Courts must take care not to “overreact in unprecedented times”, a former director of public prosecutions has said, amid concerns that lengthy sentences being imposed during the coronavirus crisis could be excessive.’
The Guardian, 19th April 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Those venturing to their local park over the weekend probably witnessed an increased presence of police constables, out to enforce the new restrictions on movement and public gatherings. Those restrictions, as well as rules forcing the closure of certain businesses and premises, were introduced on 26 March 2020 by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020.’
Francis Taylor Building, 9th April 2020
Source: www.ftbchambers.co.uk
‘The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has introduced a new permitted development right for local authorities and certain health service bodies in England to carry out development with a view to tackling the coronavirus emergency.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th April 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘A man has been jailed for coughing in the face of a police officer and claiming he had coronavirus.’
BBC News, 16th April 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Driving to the countryside and walking – where more time is spent doing the latter than the former – is among a list of reasonable excuses for Britons leaving their home during the coronavirus lockdown, according to advice issued to police.’
The Guardian, 16th April 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
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