The Christmas rush has, I’m afraid, “got” to this blog somewhat – sorry. It’s not the greatest blogging period of the year, of course. But rest assured, normal service will be resumed as from 5 January at the latest.

It’s hard to find the words for how I feel about the proposed second Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty: cynical, depressed, angry, frustrated, concerned – all those, and more. This suggestion is an absolute scandal, revealing the authoritarian […]

From reading Iain Dale’s Diary I see the Tories still haven’t filled their vacancy for shadow Attorney – six months seems to me a bit of a gap if you take the role at all seriously. Appointing Lord […]

The Guardian today has a story about Lord Lester’s disgust and disappointment as Labour’s human rights record. Oh, well. You’ll remember he resigned as a government adviser last month.

I doubt the government is all that heartbroken […]

An anonymous commenter has drawn my attention to the police’s letter to the Home Secretary explaining the business about search warrants: here it is, and the letter is also reproduced on the BBC News website.

I’ve got […]

The European Court of Human Rights has today ruled against the UK in this important case about retention of DNA samples and profiles as well as fingerprints. S had been charged with attempted burglary when 11 in 2001; he […]

I’m distinctly unimpressed by the Speaker’s statement on Greengate-Galleygate, as are Iain Dale, Guido Fawkes and Fraser Nelson.

The question of warrants is a red herring. The only issue is whether the arrest was

The Damian Green affair obviously dominates today’s opening of Parliament – and so it should. For once, Parliament’s grand gaudy show coincides with a chance for it to really show what it can do: hold government to account, express the […]

I profoundly disagree with Unity’s article yesterday about the Damian Green business at Liberal Conspiracy. I think in his loyalty to the Labour government he’s allowed his re-reaction to the Conservative reaction to this affair to spill […]

My former lecturing colleague, the Guardian’s new legal correspondent Afua Hirsch, has written today at Comment is Free about the Green/Galley affair – she doesn’t think it’s likely to go anywhere – and the line between whistleblowing and misconduct.