One of the things that sometimes concerns me is what in the past I’ve called “human rightsism“: the tendency to think all social problems should be cast and resolved in terms of human rights. It’s related I think to […]

Because of bladder problems, Elaine McDonald needs to go to the toilet several times during the night; and because of mobility problems, she can’t get there safely on her own. Kensington & Chelsea have decided that her needs can be […]

Both the Telegraph and the Daily Mail reported earlier this week about an evangelical Christian who’s been taken off the fostering register by her local authority after a sixteen-year-old girl, brought up as a Muslim, converted to Christianity […]

The House of Lords gave judgment yesterday in this human rights judicial review about provisional listing under Part VII of the Care Standards Act 2000, which sets up a scheme for “listing” people thought unsuitable to work with […]

Lord Lester also spoke in Tuesday’s debate, and although he didn’t give a full explanation of why he resigned from his role as a government adviser recently, he did give some clues. He obviously hoped for a much […]

As the lawyer responsible for Part VII of the Care Standards Act, I’m glad that this attempt has failed to limit the misconduct that can be taken into account by the Care Standards Tribunal on an appeal by a […]

Jut over a year ago, the Lords settled the debate about whether care homes carry out functions of a public nature, and so are public authorities subject the the Human Rights Act; it decided, in YL v […]

I’ve just heard Andrew Dismore, chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, speak in support of his ten minute rule bill which aims to “clarify” the meaning of “public function” of the Human Rights Act 1998. What he actually […]