‘Modern slavery is surging in social care since ministers relaxed immigration rules to fill thousands of vacancies, with a growing wave of exploitation leading to workers being ripped off or living in squalor.’
The Guardian, 21st January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Medical staff in the UK should not report women to the police if they believe their patients may have illegally ended their own pregnancy, a professional body has said. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has said it is never in the public interest to report women who have abortions to law enforcement agencies, according to the BBC.’
The Guardian, 22nd January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The government is expected to back making stealing cats and dogs a specific criminal offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.’
BBC News, 19th January 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A leading lawyer who sits in the Lords has warned that Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill is “a step toward totalitarianism”.’
The Independent, 18th January 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The daughter of murdered MP Sir David Amess is suing the police and government for failing to stop his death.’
The Independent, 17th January 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Ministers have been accused of watering down guidance around new buffer zones outside abortion clinics in England and Wales, after it emerged campaigners could still be allowed to conduct silent prayers and approach women attending clinics to discuss the issue.’
The Guardian, 17th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The courts “could cope” with a large volume of criminal appeals in the wake of the Post Office scandal, the Lady Chief Justice told MPs yesterday.’
Legal Futures, 17th January 2024
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Members of Parliament in the UK will on 16 and 17 January 2024 debate the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, which “gives effect to the judgement of Parliament that the Republic of Rwanda is a safe country” for asylum-seekers. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in November 2023 that Rwanda was manifestly not safe as asylum seekers sent to the country would face a real risk of ill-treatment due to insufficient guarantees against refoulement. The Bill thus aims to use law to determine a factual situation for as long as the law is in force. This blog discusses the risks inherent in creating such a “legal fiction” and how the Bill could be revised to mitigate this risk, before assessing the chances of it becoming law in the currently turbulent political context.’
EIN Blog, 16th January 2024
Source: www.ein.org.uk
‘A judicial review challenge of the Department for Transport’s decision to withdraw active travel guidance supporting travel by foot and bicycle has been launched.’
Local Government Lawyer, 12th January 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Last year’s Supreme Court decision in R (AAA) v Home Secretary – which found the British government’s Rwanda policy to be unlawful – has reignited broader debates about the position of a government which commands a majority in Parliament vis a vis the judiciary, the separation of powers, the extent to which legislating against judicial decisions is constitutionally proper or compatible with the rule of law, and the appropriateness of disapplying sections of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998). This post does not restate or reengage with such topics; substantive attention has already been given by Tom Hickman KC, Professor Mark Elliott, Adam Tucker, Professor Sarah Singer, and Richard Ekins KC et al. Neither does it take a position on the feasibility or desirability of any specific government policy, the continued operation of HRA 1998, or membership of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Instead, this post will argue that the backlash to and disapproval of the British government’s response to R (AAA) – the introduction of the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which, amongst other measures, allows Parliament to diverge from the Supreme Court’s judgment – neatly evidences the intended effect of New Labour and Lord Derry Irvine’s HRA 1998 system and judicial reforms.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 15th January 2024
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘The government’s decision to pass a law overturning the convictions of post office operators has left many lawyers and judges uneasy.’
The Guardian, 11th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Ministry of Defence has been reported to the equalities watchdog after claims from female civil servants that it has failed adequately to address allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The union Prospect wrote to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) asking for an investigation into whether the MoD was failing in its public sector equalities duty in relation to discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The EHRC will now have to decide whether to take action.’
The Guardian, 14th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Accommodation used to house tens of thousands of asylum seekers, often the worst in the UK when it comes to damp and mould, will be excluded from a crackdown on landlords managing social housing, the Guardian has learned.’
The Guardian, 15th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Delays at the Probate Service are shortening in the wake of a “distinct improvement in recruitment, competency, productivity and call handling”, the government said this week.’
Legal Futures, 12th January 2024
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘The government has admitted that Rwanda still has “issues with its human rights record” despite claims by Rishi Sunak that it is a safe country.’
The Guardian, 11th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘As you will doubtless recall, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 introduced a new section 10A Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, implying a term into all social tenancies that the landlord will comply with all “prescribed requirements” on responding to relevant defects to be specified in regulations – the framework for “Awaab’s Law”. A breach of section 10A would be actionable by the tenant in the County Court – quite possibly together with section 9A/10 and section 11.’
Nearly Legal, 9th January 2024
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
‘The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has launched a consultation on the introduction of strict time limits for social housing providers requiring them to take swift action in addressing dangerous hazards such as damp and mould.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th January 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Domestic abuse victims will be given up to £2,500 to help them escape their situation under a new government scheme.’
The Independent, 9th January 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal has held that the FTT had acted unfairly during the hearing of an appeal against the SSHD’s refusal of Dahir Elmi Abdi, Ubah Elmi Abdi and Mahrez Sharif Hassan’s applications for EEA family permits by failing to give them and their brother Ashkir Elmi Abdi, an EEA national on whom they claimed to be financially dependent, an opportunity to address the point on which it dismissed their appeal, i.e. the remittances demonstrating dependence did not come from him, based on a calculation showing that his declared income in the UK could not have supported the amounts he claimed to have sent, and therefore they were not financially dependent on him.’
EIN Blog, 10th January 2024
Source: www.ein.org.uk
‘Gas drilling at a site in the Surrey Hills can go ahead after the court of appeal ruled that no further attempts to stop the project could be brought to court.’
The Guardian, 9th January 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
© Inner Temple Library 2024