Category: parliament

The EU Withdrawal Bill in the Commons: Parliament surrendering control? – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted June 19th, 2018 in amendments, bills, constitutional reform, EC law, news, parliament by sally

‘Last week, the EU Withdrawal Bill returned to the Commons, so MPs could scrutinise and vote on amendments made to it by the House of Lords. The Bill survived its passage in the House of Commons last year relatively intact, with only one amendment carried against the Government. Things were different, however, in the Lords, where the Government was defeated on 15 substantial amendments.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 18th June 2018

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Carl Sargeant family say they are being excluded from inquiry – The Guardian

Posted June 19th, 2018 in barristers, families, inquiries, legal representation, news, parliament, suicide, victims, Wales by sally

‘The family of Carl Sargeant have claimed they are being excluded from an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his sacking as a Welsh minister four days before he took his own life.’

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The Guardian, 18th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Francis Young: Parliament and Taking Back Control: A Precedent from the Maastricht Debates – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted June 18th, 2018 in bills, constitutional law, EC law, news, parliament, referendums, treaties by sally

‘This post considers whether it is a convention of the British constitution that Parliament cannot direct the executive in the making of treaties. The context, of course, is the current tussle over whether the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill should be amended to allow the House of Commons a “meaningful vote” on the outcome of the current negotiations with the EU.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 15th June 2018

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

MPs condemn Home Office deportation threats over taxes – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2018 in deportation, mistake, news, parliament, taxation, terrorism by tracey

‘Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, has been accused by MPs of either not having a grip on her department or being recklessly incompetent for allowing the use of counter-terrorism powers to force the removal of highly skilled migrants from the UK over their taxes.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jack Simson Caird: Parliament’s Right to a ‘Meaningful Vote’: Amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted June 12th, 2018 in amendments, bills, constitutional reform, EC law, news, parliament, treaties by sally

‘On Tuesday 12 June 2018, the Government will ask the House of Commons to reject the Lords’ meaningful vote amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill (Lords Amendment 19). If the amendment is rejected, the Government will ask the Commons to accept its own alternative version, known as an ‘amendment in lieu’. If either amendment is enacted, and the Commons uses its veto to reject the Withdrawal Agreement, this would be a constitutionally unprecedented situation. This post looks at the Government’s ‘amendment in lieu’, and the features that distinguish it from the Lords’ amendment.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 11th June 2018

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Let battle commence: Labour, Lib Dems and top judges bid to reduce impact of whiplash reforms – Legal Futures

Posted June 12th, 2018 in bills, news, parliament, personal injuries by sally

‘Opposition peers and leading legal figures will today try and curb the government’s whiplash reforms as the Civil Liability Bill enters its crucial report stage.’

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Legal Futures, 12th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

MPs and peers call for judge-led inquiry into UK rights abuses – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2018 in human rights, inquiries, news, parliament, rendition, torture by sally

‘An all-party group of MPs and peers has written to Theresa May demanding a judge-led inquiry into the UK’s role in human rights abuses since September 11.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

John Bercow will not be investigated over ‘stupid woman’ row – The Guardian

Posted June 5th, 2018 in misfeasance in public office, news, parliament, professional conduct, select committees by tracey

‘John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, will not be investigated by the standards watchdog over allegations that he described the cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom as a “stupid woman”.’

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The Guardian, 4th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

MP calls for parliamentary inquiry into Garden Bridge – BBC News

Posted May 30th, 2018 in budgets, inquiries, London, news, parliament, transport by sally

‘An MP has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the Garden Bridge project over concerns Transport for London (TfL) may have been misled to secure £7m of its funding.’

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BBC News, 26th May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

John Bercow: Probe into Commons Speaker bullying claims blocked – The Independent

Posted May 17th, 2018 in bullying, codes of practice, news, parliament, professional conduct, select committees by tracey

‘A probe into allegations John Bercow bullied members of staff has been blocked by MPs. The Commons Standards Committee voted three-two against allowing Parliament’s watchdog to investigate the claims.’

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The Independent, 17th May 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lords overturn MPs with vote for second Leveson inquiry – The Guardian

Posted May 15th, 2018 in corruption, inquiries, media, news, parliament by sally

‘The House of Lords has once again voted to establish a fresh Leveson-style public inquiry into the conduct of the media, overturning a decision made by MPs last week and setting up another showdown with the government.’

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The Guardian, 14th May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lords could defy government over Leveson inquiry – The Guardian

Posted May 11th, 2018 in inquiries, media, news, parliament by sally

‘The battle to establish a new Leveson-style inquiry into the media could continue next week, with peers weighing up whether to overturn the House of Commons’ decision that there is no need for another investigation into the activities of the press.’

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The Guardian, 10th May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Veronika Fikfak and Hayley J. Hooper: Whither the War Powers Convention? What Next for Parliamentary Control of Armed Conflict after Syria? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted April 23rd, 2018 in armed forces, constitutional law, news, parliament, use of force by states, war, weapons by tracey

‘On Friday 13 April 2018 the Royal Air Force participated in air strikes (together with the United States and France) to degrade the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons capability and to deter further chemical attacks. This intervention in Syria was not authorised by the UN Security Council, nor was the involvement of British troops approved by the House of Commons. Instead, the decision to send British forces to Syria was made by The Prime Minister Theresa in conjunction with the Cabinet. Readers can view her public statement from 14 April 2018 here. Events unfolded this way despite governmental acknowledgement of a War Powers Convention in the 2011 Cabinet Manual.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th April 2018

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

MPs demand action over Jehovah’s Witness abuse allegations – The Guardian

Posted March 27th, 2018 in child abuse, complaints, news, parliament, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘MPs are demanding government action after more than 100 people contacted the Guardian with allegations of child sexual abuse and other mistreatment in Jehovah’s Witness communities in the UK.’

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The Guardian, 26th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Helen Newlove: ‘Victims should never be let down by the justice system’ – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2018 in criminal justice, news, parliament, victims by sally

‘The victims’ commissioner on her fight for a long-overdue law to get vulnerable people heard.’

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The Guardian, 27th February 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lady Hale at the 2018 Pankhurst Lecture, University of Manchester – Supreme Court

Posted February 21st, 2018 in elections, judiciary, legal profession, parliament, sex discrimination, speeches, women by tracey

‘Lady Hale at the 2018 Pankhurst Lecture, University of Manchester.’

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Supreme Court, 8th February 2018

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Parliament survey: one in five experienced sexual harassment – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2018 in anonymity, bullying, complaints, harassment, news, parliament, reports, sex discrimination by tracey

‘One in five people working at Westminster have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour in the past year, it found. The report calls for urgent reform of a culture of harassment and bullying at Westminster, with new a complaints procedure and an investigation mechanism independent of parties.’

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The Guardian, 8th February 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Brexit Bill passes first House of Lords hurdle, but real test still to come, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 2nd, 2018 in bills, brexit, EC law, news, parliament by sally

‘The government’s main piece of legislation on withdrawal from the European Union has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Lords.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st February 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Child abuse inquiry admits its doubts over Westminster paedophile claims – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 1st, 2018 in child abuse, inquiries, news, parliament, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘The central reason for setting up the £100 million national child abuse inquiry was called into doubt by its own lawyers as it ruled out investigating lurid claims of a Westminster paedophile ring made by fantasists. The inquiry also announced that people making accusations of child sex abuse against politicians and other VIPs will routinely be referred to as ‘complainants’ rather than victims or survivors – in an apparent acknowledgment that many of the claims have proved to be false.’

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Daily Telegraph, 31st January 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fresh call to ban ‘gay conversion therapy’ – BBC News

Posted January 26th, 2018 in homosexuality, news, parliament, psychiatrists by sally

‘The government is facing a fresh push to ban “conversion therapy” aimed at changing gay people’s sexuality.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk