After the great fun I had at last year’s inaugural Renton lecture, I thought I’d head to the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies to hear Elias LJ talk this year about “The rise of the Strasbourgeousie: judicial activism and […]

I’m interested that the Austrian justice minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner has disbanded a special unit of “political” prosecutors (German/Googlish) responsible for deciding whether to charge politicians suspected of offences. This is partly because of the revelation that the unit […]

It’s always worth listening to Michael Howard’s views on constitutional and legal matters – he was one of the first Conservatives to speak about “repatriating” policies from the EU as I recall, an idea that was considered extreme at the […]

Another week, another Binyam Mohamed judgment. This time, Thomas LJ and Lloyd-Jones J have decided to restore to their previous judgment the passages they redacted out at the request of the Foreign Secretary, who claims they’d endanger national […]

For many years Eurosceptic Conservatives have wanted the UK to be “opted out” of EU social legislation – John Major negotiated an opt-out from the “social chapter” at Maastricht (though he seemed to get no thanks for that from his […]

This afternoon as part of his new EU policy, David Cameron promised a National Sovereignty Act, to make clear that British institutions ultimately rule on our relationship with the EU. I watched his speech, and thought he made a pretty […]

A special Commons committee chaired by Sir Ming Campbell is currently inquiring into the arrest of Damian Green MP last year, and search of his Parliamentary offices; and on Monday they heard evidence from the former Speaker, now Lord Martin. […]

They’re still at it. Suzy Gale, wife of the Conservative MP Roger Gale, says

I have taken advice from an employment lawyer and if this goes ahead I will be taking legal action for unfair dismissal or positive [sic] discrimination […]

We’re getting used by now to MPs moaning that the sensible expenses rules now being applied to them are supposedly unlawful. The latest claim is that preventing MPs from employing spouses and relatives would lead to unfair dismissal, […]

Following on from my Charon podcast yesterday, I thought it might help to put my thoughts in writing about last Friday’s judgment. It might be farcical, except that it relates to the cruel treatment and possibly torture of a prisoner. […]