Lord Neuberger asks who is the master: the unelected judge or the elected politician? – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2011 in constitutional law, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

“According to the master of the rolls, courts could overrule parliament in wholly exceptional cases.”

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The Guardian, 11th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Elliot Morley faces jail after admitting MPs’ expenses fraud – The Guardian

Posted April 8th, 2011 in expenses, false accounting, news, parliament by sally

“The former Labour minister Elliot Morley faces a prison sentence after pleading guilty to dishonestly claiming more than £30,000 in parliamentary expenses relating to false mortgage claims.”

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The Guardian, 7th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Who’s the master now? – Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Posted April 7th, 2011 in human rights, judiciary, parliament, speeches by sally

Who’s the master now? (PDF)

Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Second Lord Alexander of Weedon Lecture, 6th April 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Expenses bill to soar as MPs force watchdog to relax rules – Daily Telegraph

“MPs will be able to claim millions of pounds more in expenses under reforms to the system to be announced today.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Phone hacking: Met and DPP clash over legal advice on stolen voicemails – The Guardian

“The phone-hacking scandal has spilled over into an extraordinary public clash between the Metropolitan police and the director of public prosecutions, with each side implying the other has misled parliament.”

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The Guardian, 24th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs’ expenses: strict new rules to be eased – Daily Telegraph

“The rules governing MPs’ expenses are to be relaxed this week following months of complaints that the current system is unfair.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The House of Lords is keeping ministers’ Henry VIII powers in check – The Guardian

“The government’s little-reported announcement last week that it will no longer bypass parliament when it abolishes public bodies is a sign that the House of Lords is working effectively: even ministers now understand that the best thing to do when they find themselves in a hole is to stop digging.”

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The Guardian, 9th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs’ expenses: Eric Illsley jailed for 12 months – The Guardian

Posted February 10th, 2011 in expenses, false accounting, news, parliament, sentencing by sally

“The former Labour MP Eric Illsley has been jailed for 12 months at Southwark crown court after pleading guilty to charges of false accounting concerning nearly £14,500 in parliamentary expenses.”

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The Guardian, 10th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners’ right to vote: Q&A – The Guardian

Posted February 10th, 2011 in elections, human rights, news, parliament, prisons by sally

“MPs are set to debate on a motion calling for Britain to defy the European court of human rights over giving prisoners the right to vote on Thursday.”

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The Guardian, 10th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The campaign against proposed legal aid cuts gains public support – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 10th, 2011 in legal aid, news, parliament by sally

“Last week’s adjournment debate on legal aid cuts in the House of Commons marked a change in tone among MPs who, before Christmas, had not made much of the Ministry of Justice’s proposed £350m annual cut to the legal aid budget. What became evident in the debate, secured by Labour MP Yvonne Fovargue, is that MPs are starting to feel the pressure on this issue at a constituency level – from solicitors, citizens advice bureaux, barristers and groups who work with, and represent, vulnerable people.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government electoral reform dealt Lords blow – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2011 in elections, news, parliament, referendums by sally

“The government suffered a narrow defeat in the House of Lords on Monday night when rebel Tories joined forces with Labour peers to make the planned referendum on electoral reform non-binding if turnout falls below 40%.”

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The Guardian, 7th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New laws may be ‘only way forward’ to combat hacking of MPs’ phones – The Guardian

Posted January 26th, 2011 in interception, news, parliament by sally

“MPs today (25 January) heard calls for new legislation that would give parliament powers to impose sanctions against individuals involved in phone hacking, even if the police decided not to proceed with a case.”

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The Guardian, 25th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Taylor found guilty of expenses fraud – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2011 in expenses, false accounting, news, parliament, peerages & dignities by sally

“Lord Taylor of Warwick today became the first peer to be convicted in connection with the parliamentary expenses investigation, when a jury found him guilty of dishonestly claiming £11,277 in allowances.”

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The Guardian, 25th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Peers bed down for marathon session to pass reform bill – The Guardian

Posted January 18th, 2011 in elections, news, parliament, referendums by sally

“Lords debate reduction in the number of MPs in parliament.”

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The Guardian, 17th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs’ expenses: David Chaytor sentenced to 18 months in prison for false accounting – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 7th, 2011 in expenses, false accounting, news, parliament, sentencing by sally

“The former Labour MP David Chaytor has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for falsifying his expenses claims.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Parliament’s expenses watchdog launches review – BBC News

Posted January 5th, 2011 in consultations, expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Parliament’s expenses watchdog is launching a public consultation after criticism over the way it is run.”

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BBC News, 5th January 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Woolas) v Parliamentary Election Court and others – WLR Daily

Posted December 9th, 2010 in elections, judicial review, law reports, parliament by sally

Regina (Woolas) v Parliamentary Election Court and others [2010] EWHC 3169 (Admin); [2010] WLR (D) 217

“The relationship of a parliamentary election court to the High Court was such that it was to be regarded as an inferior tribunal so that its actions could be the subject of judicial review; and the jurisdiction in judicial review of an election court was not confined to an excess of jurisdiction in the narrow sense but extended to correcting errors in its application of the law.”

WLR Daily, 8th December 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Court clarifies constitutional role in Woolas decision – The Guardian

Posted December 6th, 2010 in constitutional law, elections, news, parliament by sally

“Phil Woolas has lost his election court challenge but the decision shines a light on an obscure part of the constitutional system.”

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The Guardian, 3rd December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woolas’s exit paves way for BNP to stand in by-election – The Independent

Posted December 6th, 2010 in defamation, elections, news, parliament by sally

“Phil Woolas has given up his battle against becoming the first MP for almost a century to lose his seat for lying about an opponent.”

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The Independent, 4th December 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lords committee criticises government plans for constitutional reform – The Guardian

Posted November 15th, 2010 in constitutional reform, elections, news, parliament by sally

“A collection of peers has criticised the government’s proposed constitutional changes, concluding that the reforms will strengthen the executive’s grip on parliament.”

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The Guardian, 12th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk