Three generations of Windrush family struggling to prove they are British – The Guardian

‘Three generations of one Windrush-descended family are struggling to prove that they are British in a protracted fight for documentation which has left a London-born woman facing homelessness with her two-year-old son.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Disabled woman called ‘lying bitch’ by welfare official awarded £5,000 – The Guardian

‘A disabled woman has been awarded £5,000 in an out-of-court settlement after being called a “lying bitch” by a welfare official in formal legal papers after challenging a decision to cut her disability benefits.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office unlawfully delaying support for modern slavery victims, High Court rules – The Independent

‘The Home Office has been unlawfully forcing trafficked people to wait for months and sometimes years before granting them leave to remain in the UK, the High Court has ruled.’

Full Story

The Independent, 11th December 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cabinet Office ignores court order to release secret fracking report – The Guardian

‘The Cabinet Office has defied a court order to release a secret government report on the UK’s fracking industry. Officials were expected to hand over the report on Monday, days before Britain’s first general election leaders’ debate on the climate crisis, after the information tribunal ruled it was in the public interest to disclose its findings in full.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Harry Dunn’s family starts legal action against Foreign Office – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2019 in diplomats, government departments, immunity, judicial review, news, road traffic by sally

‘The family of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn have launched a legal action against the Foreign Office which they said could cost them “upwards of £50,000”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office unlawfully imprisoned asylum seekers, supreme court rules – The Guardian

‘The Home Office “falsely imprisoned” many asylum seekers who are now entitled to damages for their loss of liberty at the hands of the government, five supreme court judges have ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tribunals and human rights – Nearly Legal

‘The question of the powers of the First Tier and Upper Tribunals (and indeed initial decision makers) to disapply secondary legislation where there is a breach of the appellant’s human rights has reached the Supreme Court. The decision has some far reaching implications for bedroom tax appeals and beyond.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 15th November 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Department for Education flouted rules when it secretly shared pupil data with Home Office, says watchdog – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2019 in data protection, government departments, immigration, news, school children by tracey

‘The Department for Education (DfE) flouted data protection obligations when it shared information about children with the Home Office for immigration enforcement purposes, a watchdog had said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Windrush victim dies without compensation or apology – The Guardian

‘Another prominent Windrush victim has died without receiving compensation or a personal apology from the government. Hubert Howard died on Tuesday, just three weeks after finally being granted British citizenship, 59 years after he arrived in London aged three.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Behind the curtain – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 8th, 2019 in consultations, elections, government departments, local government, news by tracey

‘As the general election kicks off, James Goudie QC highlights a 2017 High Court ruling on the status of “purdah” and the business that can and cannot be conducted while it applies.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government consults on new police powers to criminalise unauthorised encampments – Home Office

‘The government will launch a consultation on proposals to give police new powers to arrest and seize the property and vehicles of trespassers who set up unauthorised caravan sites.’

Full press release

Home Office, 3rd November 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Social care support and persons subject to immigration control – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Administrative Court has revisited the issue of the denial of social care support to persons subject to immigration control, and the line between local authority social care support under the Care Act 2014, and accommodation and support provided by the Home Office. Jonathan Auburn analyses the ruling.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

AI system for granting UK visas is biased, rights groups claim – The Guardian

‘Immigrant rights campaigners have begun a ground-breaking legal case to establish how a Home Office algorithm that filters UK visa applications actually works.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tanzil Chowdhury: Miller (No 2), the Principle-isation of Ministerial Accountability and Military Deployments – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Has the court in Miller (No 2) done the very thing it said it wouldn’t do in Miller (No 1)? Has it given legal enforceability to the constitutional convention of ministerial accountability? Several authors appear to suggest that is has (here, here and here). Indeed, conventions were given rather peculiar judicial treatment in Miller (No 1) not least when placed against Miller (No 2), but also due to the general unenforceability of ‘statutory conventions’ (more here). But back to the apparent elevation of the convention of ministerial accountability (CoMA) to a constitutional principle – or what I refer to as the principle-isation of the convention.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 24th October 2019

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Harry Dunn’s family to begin legal action against Foreign Office and Northamptonshire Police – Daily Telegraph

‘The family of Harry Dunn will shortly issue a letter of claim to begin legal action against the Foreign Office and Northamptonshire Police, spokesman Radd Seiger said.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 24th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Drugs: UK should consider legalising possession, MPs say – BBC News

‘The government should investigate decriminalising the possession of all illegal drugs in a bid to prevent the rising number of related deaths, a group of MPs has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Emma De Souza: Home Office appeal of case is upheld – BBC News

‘People born in Northern Ireland remain British citizens according to the law, even if they identify as Irish, tribunal judges have determined.’

Full Story

BBC News, 14th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK to deport academic to Democratic Republic of Congo – which she has never visited – The Guardian

‘Furaha Asani, a young academic at Leicester University, was shocked when her visa application was rejected in August. But real fear set in when she realised Britain plans to deport her in three weeks’ time to the Democratic Republic of Congo – a war-torn country she has never visited and where the Home Office agrees sexual violence is pervasive.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal profession excels in social mobility league table – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 8th, 2019 in diversity, government departments, law firms, legal profession, news by tracey

‘The legal profession once again dominates a league table of 75 employers doing the most to improve social mobility – occupying four spots in the top 10.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK and US sign landmark Data Access Agreement – Home Office

‘Home Secretary Priti Patel last night (Thursday 3 October) signed an historic agreement that will enable British law enforcement agencies to directly demand electronic data relating to terrorists, child sexual abusers and other serious criminals from US tech firms.’

FUll press release

Home Office, 4th October 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office