‘Gina Miller, the pro-EU campaigner behind a successful court challenge over article 50, is planning to launch a tactical voting initiative to support election candidates opposed to hard Brexit.’
The Guardian, 19th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Coalition agreement introduced five-year parliaments but act allows for early elections if two-thirds of MPs vote in favour.’
The Guardian, 18th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A terminally ill former lecturer has won the right to challenge the legal ban on assisted dying in the hope that he can end his life at home surrounded by his family.
The Guardian, 12th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A factory worker has been jailed for four months for posting on Facebook a “sinister and menacing” threat to stab a Conservative MP to death.’
The Guardian, 12th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘More substantive than the 137 word EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 (‘Notification Act’), which was passed by Parliament on 13 March, the Prime Minister’s 6 page letter of notice, issued under Article 50 TEU, is lacking in one crucial respect. This post asserts that, as a matter of UK constitutional law and in accordance with the EU Treaties as well as customary international law, conditionality should be inferred into this notice. Such conditionality manifests in the requirement of domestic Parliamentary approval at the end of the Article 50 negotiation process.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 7th April 2017
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Last Thursday the government published its technical review of the operation of the “English votes for English laws” (EVEL) procedures in the House of Commons. The review concluded against making “any substantive changes”. Daniel Gover and Michael Kenny argue that this is a missed opportunity. The decision to close down this chance for parliament to engage in meaningful debate about the EVEL system is regrettable, and may prove to be short-sighted.’
UCL Constitution Unit, 5th April 2017
Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
‘Miller and others v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union [2017] UKSC 5 was highly anticipated as perhaps the most signficant constitutional case of this generation, stirring up such strong reactions that the judges of the Divisional Court who initially decided in favour of Ms. Miller were dubbed “Enemies of the People”. Two months after a majority of an 11-member Supreme Court confirmed that prerogative powers could not be used to invoke Article 50, however, the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 (hereafter referred to as the “Withdrawal Act”) received Royal Assent, conferring power on the Prime Minister to give the notification required to begin the process of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. The passage of the Withdrawal Act fulfilled the constitutional requirements identified in Miller formally, within the purely political timetable set by the Prime Minister at the Conservative Party’s conference and without any additional legal requirements being imposed by way of amendment. This not only sets the stage but also prepares the way for a more permanent sidelining of Parliament as the supreme legislative body in the UK’s constitution as part of the process of leaving the European Union.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 27th March 2017
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘On 7 March 2017, the House of Commons Committee of Privileges announced a new inquiry into the exercise and enforcement of the powers of the House in relation to select committees and contempts of Parliament.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 23rd March 2017
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘Children’s social services are being engulfed by a funding crisis in which nine out of 10 local authorities are struggling to meet their legal duties and families face a postcode lottery, a damning report has concluded.’
The Guardian, 20th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A police team created to handle crimes against MPs has dealt with 53 complaints since the murder of Jo Cox.’
BBC News, 19th March 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Labour Lords have launched a new drive to secure greater influence over Theresa May’s Brexit and secure the rights of EU citizens in the UK.’
The Independent, 16th March 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘MPs are set to debate scrapping Britain’s “First Past the Post” voting system and switching to a form of proportional representation.’
The Independent, 15th March 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘MPs will be banned from hiring their children and spouses on the public purse after the next election, it has been announced.’
Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Theresa May has been warned that Brexit is heading back to the courts after she refused to give MPs a “meaningful vote” on any final deal.’
The Independent, 13th March 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Parliament has passed the Brexit bill, paving the way for the government to trigger Article 50 so the UK can leave the European Union.’
BBC News, 14th March 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A probe into peers who enjoy House of Lords perks without doing any work was dropped to avoid a “press storm”, a former lord speaker has admitted.’
Daily Telegraph, 13th March 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘MPs are to be hit with tougher restrictions on employing their wives and children amid concern of a François Fillon-style scandal in Britain, The Sunday Telegraph understands.’
Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘The government faces a last push from rebel backbenchers to guarantee a final vote in parliament on any Brexit deal before the triggering of article 50, with concerns coalescing around what would happen if no agreement was reached with the EU.’
The Guardian, 13th February 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘On 17 February 2017, Bindmans LLP published an Opinion solicited from several leading authorities on EU law concerning Article 50 TEU. The so-dubbed ‘Three Knights Opinion’ put forward compelling legal arguments in support of why an Act of Parliament at the end of the Article 50 negotiation process is necessary in order to ensure that Brexit occurs in accordance with domestic and, by extension, EU law. These contentions, and Professor Elliot’s rebuttal, warrant careful consideration.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 9th March 2017
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘A good deal of the legal and constitutional interest generated by Brexit has so far, perhaps unsurprisingly, focussed upon the very beginning of the withdrawal process. Initially, all eyes were on the courts, with the Supreme Court holding in R (Miller) v Secretary of State for the European Union [2017] UKSC 5 that the Article 50 mechanism can be activated only with Parliament’s legislative blessing. As a result of that landmark judgment, attention has now switched to Parliament, through which the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill is presently passing.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 7th March 2017
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
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