Four possible consequences of Partygate
19th May 2022 Partygate, again. Today the Metropolitan Police announced the end of their investigation. This means that, in small part, the Partygate
Tag : Courts And Politics
This is not a proposal for “a Bill of Rights” – this is semi-waffle in support of vanity legislation
10th May 2022 Today it was announced in the Queen’s Speech that there will be a “Bill of Rights”. Some are alarmed at this proposal – and
The real problem with Beergate – and with Partygate
9th May 2022 There are many ways to look at the ‘Beergate’ political story – about the police investigation into what Leader of the Opposition
The suggestion that the Prime Minister give evidence to the privileges committee under oath and pain of perjury
2nd May 2022 Did you know there is a Parliamentary Witness Oaths Act? This 1871 statute – which is still in force – provides among other things
6 min read
The false and misleading statements of Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock about the Covid care homes judgment
29 April 2022 On Wednesday the prime minister was asked by Daisy Cooper MP about the high court decision holding that the government had acted
3 min read
How one paragraph in the significant Covid and care homes judgment describes Matt Hancock’s lethal, unlawful policy
28th April 2022 One of the most outstanding lawyers I know works a lot with care home clients. Sometime ago they told me about what happened when the
Partygate and parliament: law and policy, tactics and strategy, privileges and penalties
21st April 2022 Well. Those were an interesting few days in parliament. We went from a government bullishly seeking to block the prime minister being
Boris Johnson’s Triple-Whammy of Unlawfulness
12th April 2022 Constitutional law is not supposed to be interesting. Constitutional law is supposed to be boring. And Boris Johnson could not make
Two reasons why today’s ‘Reclaim these Streets’ high court decision is significant
11th March 2022 The ‘Reclaim these Streets’ decision was handed down by the High Court today. In a welcome judgment, it was held by the High
5 min read
How you can be sued for libel for reporting things said in Parliament
10th March 2022 On 9 March 2022 the following was stated by Bob Seely MP in the House of Commons: Bob Seely – A number of lawyers, representing
Public interest litigation against public bodies
16th February 2022 There are two ways by which those with public power will act lawfully. The first is self-restraint: that ministers and officials
The Rule of Law and the Colston Four – and why a jury acquittal shows a legal system working and not being undermined
The Colston Four defendants have been acquitted by a jury. Some are contending, like this former cabinet minister, that this acquittal
7 min read
How the Government both won and lost the Priti Patel High Court bullying case
6th December 2021 Today judgment was handed down in the case brought by the civil service union the FDA in respect of the Prime Minister’s
‘Parliamentary Sovereignty’ and ‘Parliamentary Supremacy’
24th October 2021 In the Attorney General’s interesting recent speech on judicial review, there is the following passage: “But this flexibility,
The Supreme Court judgment in Majera – court orders have to be obeyed, even by the Home Secretary
21st October 2021 Yesterday, while lawyers and commentators were discussing the recent speech by the Attorney General, the Supreme Court of the