Category: public interest

Flood v Times Newspapers, Supreme Court allows “Reynolds” appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in defamation, news, privilege, public interest, Supreme Court by sally

“In a unanimous decision ([2012] UKSC 11) the Supreme Court allowed the appeal of Times Newspapers Limited against a decision of the Court of Appeal ([2010] EWCA Civ 804) which had held that it could not rely on Reynolds qualified privilege. The Supreme Court restored the decision of Mr Justice Tugendhat ([2009] EWHC 2375 (QB)) who had ruled, on the hearing of a preliminary issue, that the Times was entitled to rely on the defence of Reynolds qualified privilege in relation to the printed publication of the article about the claimant.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Flood v Times Newspapers Ltd – WLR Daily

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in defamation, law reports, privilege, public interest, Supreme Court by sally

Flood v Times Newspapers Ltd [2012] UKSC 11; [2012] WLR (D) 93

“A publisher was protected from liability for defamation when it published an article containing allegations of corruption against a named police officer, even though the allegations were subsequently held to be unfounded, if it could be shown that the issues raised in the article were matters of public interest and that at the time of publication it appeared to the publishers that there was a strong circumstantial case for believing the allegations to be true.”

WLR Daily, 21st March 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Occupy Cardiff protesters claim victory after CPS drops case – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2012 in Crown Prosecution Service, demonstrations, news, public interest, public order by sally

“Two Occupy protesters who were arrested and charged when they attempted to set up camp in Cardiff are claiming victory after a case against them was unexpectedly dropped.”

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The Guardian, 20th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rebekah Brooks needn’t worry about her right to a fair trial – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2012 in bias, interception, juries, media, news, public interest, trials by sally

“Publicity from the phone-hacking inquiry doesn’t necessarily prejudice the cases of those arrested in the scandal.”

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The Guardian, 18th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government must publish NHS risk register, rules tribunal – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 9th, 2012 in bills, freedom of information, health, news, public interest by tracey

“The Government has lost its appeal to keep the NHS risk register from being published, days before MPs get their last chance to debate and vote on its controversial health reforms.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

DPP issues guidance to prosecutors in public protest cases – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted March 6th, 2012 in criminal damage, Crown Prosecution Service, demonstrations, news, public interest, violent disorder by sally

“Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), has today issued Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors with new guidance on dealing with people who may have committed an offence during a protest or demonstration.”

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Crown Prosecution Service, 6th March 2012

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Legal wrangle throws spotlight on food labelling – The Independent

Posted February 27th, 2012 in appeals, consumer protection, food hygiene, news, public interest by tracey

“A landmark legal case revolving around a batch of frozen pigs’ tongues could change the way food use-by dates are enforced in the country. High Court judges ruled earlier last week that a business accused of selling food past its use-by date could counter a prosecution under food labelling laws by showing the product had in fact not needed a use-by date. Consumer experts fear that this interpretation could allow retailers to sell out-of-date food. The matter is being viewed as a test case for use-by dates, and similar cases across the country are being put on hold while it is dealt with.”

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 The Independent, 26th February 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Caroline Spelman facing six-figure legal bill over bid to stop press printing story about son – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 25th, 2012 in freedom of expression, injunctions, media, news, privacy, public interest, sport by tracey

“Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is facing a six-figure legal bill after losing a High Court bid to stop a newspaper publishing a story about her teenage son’s rugby-playing career.”

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Daily Telegraph, 24th February 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Disclosure of some details about senior council officials’ interests legitimate, Tribunal rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 24th, 2012 in data protection, local government, news, public interest by tracey

“Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council has been ordered to disclose information relating to the professional interests of senior council members following a ruling by the Information Rights Tribunal.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th February 2012

Source: www.outlaw.com

Glenn Mulcaire granted evidence appeal – BBC News

Posted February 15th, 2012 in appeals, evidence, interception, media, news, public interest, Supreme Court by sally

“The Supreme Court has ruled it will decide whether private investigator Glenn Mulcaire must reveal which journalists asked him to hack phones.”

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BBC News, 15th February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Guardian journalist wins right to ‘sensitive’ court papers related to Griffin conviction – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 13th, 2012 in Crown Prosecution Service, disclosure, freedom of information, hate crime, inciting racial hatred, news, public interest by sally

“The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must disclose some papers it holds relating to the successful conviction of controversial right-wing politician Nick Griffin for a racial hate crime in the 1990s, an Information Rights Tribunal has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Reporting on celebrities’ private lives can be legitimate, European Court of Human Rights rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 8th, 2012 in freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“The media can legitimately publish articles and photographs about celebrities without their approval providing they have balanced their rights to freedom of expression with the individuals’ privacy rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Care Quality Commission puts gagging orders on six employees – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2012 in complaints, confidentiality, employment, news, non-disclosure agreements, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

“A health watchdog with responsibility for protecting NHS whistleblowers has asked at least six employees to sign confidentiality agreements that stop them from criticising the organisation publicly.”

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The Guardian, 24th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Journalists who break law to expose scandals may not be prosecuted, says Justice Secretary – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 17th, 2012 in Crown Prosecution Service, media, news, public interest by sally

“Journalists who use illegal methods for the ‘greater good’ should not necessarily be prosecuted, Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary, said yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th January 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Babar Ahmad ruling is a victory for freedom of expression – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2012 in BBC, extradition, freedom of expression, news, public interest by sally

“The justice secretary certainly acted unlawfully in refusing to allow the BBC to interview Babar Ahmad, a British prisoner wanted in the US on terrorism charges, as the high court has found. But once the judgment came out, Ken Clarke showed none of the stubbornness associated with previous prisons ministers, telling the court that he would not be seeking to appeal.”

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The Guardian, 12th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BBC wins right to broadcast prisoner interview – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2012 in detention, freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, public interest, terrorism by sally

“The High Court has ruled that Justice Secretary Ken Clarke was wrong to stop the BBC filming a terrorism suspect held for seven years without trial.”

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BBC News, 11th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Asbos ban Trowbridge pensioners from feeding pigeons – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2012 in ASBOs, birds, environmental health, news, public interest by sally

“Two pensioners have been given anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) stopping them feeding pigeons in Trowbridge for five years.”

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BBC News, 10th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil servants fear FoI ruling over private emails and text messages – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2011 in civil servants, disclosure, electronic mail, freedom of information, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“Ministers, civil servants and government advisers are bracing themselves for an information commission ruling this week declaring that emails sent within government from private accounts are subject to freedom of information legislation and therefore can be disclosed.”

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The Guardian, 13th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Journalists should not have extra protection from bribery law, says Justice Secretary – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 16th, 2011 in bribery, media, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“The Bribery Act does not need to be changed to protect journalists who pay informants for stories, the Justice Secretary has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th November 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Climate change: No right to know effect of new EU rules – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 16th, 2011 in carbon dioxide emissions, climate change, disclosure, EC law, freedom of information, news, public interest by sally

“The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (‘EIR’) did not require the Department of Energy and Climate Change (‘DECC’) to disclose information concerning the government’s analysis of the potential cost to the UK of strengthened climate change commitments by the EU, the First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber, Information Rights) has held.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th November 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com