Government strengthens judges powers to grant access to online court hearings June 29, 2022 The government has given courts new powers to let journalists and members of the public watch court hearings online. The Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Act, which came into force yesterday, will give judges in courts and tribunals the power to let reporters and others tune into hearings remotely. The new powers come as a [...]
Criminal barristers push ahead with strike action over legal aid fees June 27, 2022 Criminal barristers are today set to walk out of courts across England and Wales, after last week voting to strike amid a long-running dispute with the government over legal aid fees. Barristers, who are expected to picket outside of London’s Old Bailey court today, are calling on the government to increase legal aid fees by [...]
Solicitors’ watchdog advances crackdown on ‘lawfare’ with more than 20 SLAPP investigations June 26, 2022 The solicitors’ watchdog has launched more than 20 investigations into UK law firms over their involvement in SLAPP lawsuits, as part of its efforts to crack down on the use of Britain’s libel laws to silence the press and other legitimate criticism. The Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) now has more than 20 open cases over [...]
Rampant inflation swells UK debt interest bill and pushes up government borrowing June 23, 2022 Inflation is swelling the UK’s interest bill and forcing the government to borrow more money to pay investors, official figures released today revealed. The amount of money the government paid to holders of UK debt jumped just over 70 per cent over the last year, reaching £7.6bn in May, up from £4.5bn last year, according [...]
Lawyers say ‘Bill of Rights’ will make government less accountable June 22, 2022 Lawyers have hit out at the government’s plans to scrap the Human Rights Act, over claims it is an attack on the rule of law that risks undermining Britain’s international reputation. Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce said the plans risk ruining Britain’s reputation “with trade partners, business, and in the international arena,” as [...]
Insurers calls on government to expand pensions ‘auto-enrolment’ scheme June 21, 2022 The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called on the government to to expand its pensions “auto-enrolment” scheme, following a review of the policy’s successes since it came into force a decade ago. The ABI said the government should set out plans to expand its auto-enrolment policy, which requires employers to automatically enroll all staff [...]
Legal challenge over retail price index changes could cost taxpayer $40bn, analysts warn June 21, 2022 The government could be forced to fork out as much as £40bn in compensation if a legal challenge launched today over the Treasury’s move to recalculate retail prices succeeds, analysts have warned.
Government food strategy proposals ‘do not go far enough’, say top investors June 16, 2022 A group of top investors representing £6tn in assets have slammed the government’s response to the national food strategy today and called for mandatory health and sustainability reporting in the UK.
Raab says scrapping Human Rights Act will let government send migrants to Rwanda June 16, 2022 Justice secretary Dominic Raab has said scrapping the Human Rights Act will allow the government to begin successfully sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. Speaking to the BBC, Raab blamed the UK’s Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998 for blocking this week’s Rwanda flight, as he said the government’s plans to replace the HRA with a new [...]
Law Society calls £404m spent on court agency staff an ‘expensive sticking plaster’ June 15, 2022 The Law Society has hit out at HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), after the government admitted spending £404m on court agency staff over a five-year period. The solicitors’ association called the government’s use of agency staff an “expensive sticking plaster,” as it said the £404m sum “could be put to better use”. “To [...]
