Parliament could get legal powers to summon witnesses, MP says – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2020 in news, parliament, privilege, select committees, witnesses by sally

‘Parliament could soon be given legal powers to summon reluctant witnesses such as Dominic Cummings and Rupert Murdoch to answer questions from MPs, according to the chair of a Commons committee.’

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The Guardian, 28th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jeff King and Stephen Tierney: The House of Lords Constitution Committee reports on the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill is something of an imperfect storm, provoking the ire both of the devolved authorities who consider it an unacceptable circumscription of devolved competence and those aghast that the Bill empowers ministers to act contrary to the UK’s international obligations. Today the Constitution Committee reports on the measure and doesn’t pull its punches. Its highly critical analysis is informed by several evidence sessions involving academics, legal experts and prominent parliamentarians including the Lord Chancellor.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th October 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

New Brexit law will let vulnerable EU citizens apply late to stay in UK – The Guardian

‘The government is to fast-track legislation that it believes will stop vulnerable EU citizens becoming Windrush-type victims of Brexit, it has emerged.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog warns Home Office must use ‘neutral language’ after outrage over ‘activist lawyers’ tweet – The Independent

‘A Home Office watchdog has said the department must use “neutral language” after its repeated use of the term “activist lawyer” prompted outrage.’

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The Independent, 15th October 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government to review Human Rights Act – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lord chancellor Robert Buckland has revealed that the government is to commission an independent review of the Human Rights Act.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th October 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Boris Johnson undermining courts to consolidate power, retired Supreme Court judge warns – The Independent

‘A former Supreme Court judge has accused Boris Johnson of trying to undermine the courts and legal system in a bid to solidify government power and push through his programme. Lord Sumption, who retired from the court in 2018, told at parliamentary select committee that the government was intent on “doing down the courts as potential sources of impediments for the government’s programme”.’

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The Independent, 6th October 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legalise e-scooters in UK as alternative to short car trips, MPs say – The Guardian

‘MPs have called on the government to legalise e-scooters in the UK and advertise them to car drivers as a greener alternative for short journeys.’

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus approach ‘creates risks for the rule of law’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 21st, 2020 in coronavirus, human rights, news, parliament, rule of law, select committees by sally

‘The government’s approach to the coronavirus is creating risks for the rule of law, politicians have warned in a report looking at the human rights implications of Covid-19.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st September 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Has the revolution happened? Can we ever go back? – Transparency Project

‘The Lord Chief Justice called it “the biggest pilot project that the justice system has ever seen” and said “there will be no going back to February 2020”. Remote court hearings would have come sooner or later, but thanks to Covid-19 they came at us fast, in March 2020, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Ironically, they were one of the things the massive £1bn court modernisation programme was supposed to have developed, but when it came to the crunch HMCTS wasn’t quite ready so there was “the most extraordinary scramble”, said Professor Hazel Genn, to find solutions that worked.’

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Transparency Project, 25th August 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

MPs fear firms, chambers and law centres collapsing – Legal Futures

‘MPs have expressed concern that law firms, chambers and law centres may collapse because of the impact of Covid-19.’

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Justice committee launches inquiry into court backlog – Legal Futures

‘MPs have today launched an inquiry to investigate delays in the court system and what should be done to clear the backlog of cases.’

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Legal Futures, 30th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

DWP to increase support for vulnerable claimants after series of suicides – The Guardian

‘The Department for Work and Pensions is to overhaul its safeguarding systems following a series of high-profile failures in which mentally ill claimants took their own lives after having their benefits cut off by welfare officials.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

New penalties proposed for rule-breaking MPs – BBC News

‘MPs could be banned from foreign trips or made to take anger management classes under a proposed revamp of Parliament’s sanctions regime.’

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BBC News, 21st July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers have become “de facto agents of Russian state” – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers have become “de facto agents of the Russian state” by helping to smooth the way of Russian money entering the UK, according to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Windrush: at least five who applied for compensation die before receiving it – The Guardian

‘At least five people have died before receiving the Windrush compensation they had applied for, the government has revealed, reigniting concern about the slowness of the scheme.’

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The Guardian, 7th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Are “squalid” prison conditions and the response to the Covid-19 pandemic breaching human rights? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The latest reports of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights lay bare the conditions in some British prisons.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th July 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Gambling regulation has gone ‘horribly wrong’, says Lord Grade – The Guardian

Posted July 2nd, 2020 in gambling, news, reports, select committees by tracey

‘The regulation of gambling has gone “horribly wrong” and should be radically overhauled without delay, a House of Lords committee has urged. Ministers have pledged to review the 2005 Gambling Act in the face of a growing consensus among MPs and addiction experts that legislation passed under Tony Blair’s government is no longer effective. But in a wide-ranging report, a select committee led by former ITV and BBC chairman Lord Grade said sweeping changes could go forward without the need for a review.’

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The Guardian, 2nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government and watchdog ‘are totally failing problem gamblers’ – The Guardian

Posted June 29th, 2020 in gambling, government departments, news, ombudsmen, select committees by sally

‘The government and the gambling watchdog have an “unacceptably weak understanding” about the harmful effects of gambling and how to tackle them, a parliamentary committee has warned.’

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The Guardian, 28th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Peers call for tougher regulation of digital and social media in UK – The Guardian

‘Ministers are being urged to toughen up the regulation of digital and social media because “a pandemic of misinformation and disinformation” is eroding trust in politics and public institutions.’

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The Guardian, 29th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘I feel targeted’: Windrush victim decries compensation delays as racism – The Guardian

‘Anthony Williams arrived in Birmingham from Jamaica aged seven in 1971, and went to primary and secondary school before joining the army and serving with the Royal Artillery for 13 years. Later, he had a successful second career as a fitness instructor until 2013, when he found himself classified as an illegal immigrant and sacked from his job.’

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The Guardian, 21st June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com