Law and Rights
The Fitwatch website has been "taken down." - see Computer Weekly 16th November 2010. Quite on what legal basis this has been done is not entirely clear at the moment. Law and Lawyers does not support either violent protest or the giving of possibly dubious "advice" offered via a website to those who may have been involved in the violence at Millbank, London. Nevetheless, a right to peacefully protest and to comment about the actions of the State - including the Police - is a fundamental part of democracy. Of course, an element were far from peaceful but it appears that the vast majority who took part in the main demonstration acted entirely peaceably.
The issue of funding of university education is a matter of massive public concern and if the country is to have any future success then proper funding of universities is essential. The massive increases in fees are more than likely to deter many from pursuing their hope of a degree and the country may well be, in the longer term, the poorer for it. A further source of grievance is that the arrangements for funding of degree courses varies across the U.K. with Scotland being particularly generous to students - see BBC 10th October. This inequality between the constituent parts of the U.K. is going to be unsustainable.
The Guardian 16th November 2010
and for an item on the possible effect of increasing student fees see The Guardian 18th November.
Freedom of expression is an important right contained within the European Convention on Human Rights Article 10. It is not an absolute right since certain restrictions apply - Article 10(2). Any restriction on the right must be prescribed by law and must be necessary in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime , for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
- Charlie Hebdo - Freedom Of Expression
The murders of 7th January 2015 in Paris are profoundly shocking - BBC New Europe "Charlie Hebdo: Gun attack on French magazine kills 12." Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical newspaper noted for satire and irreverence on many topics including all...
- Yet More "guidance" ~ Beware All Ye Judicial Bloggers!
Should judicial office holders retain freedom of expression? This is the issue lying at the heart of "guidance" issued by the Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales (Lord Justice Goldring) to magistrates. Of course, we would all expect members...
- Protest: Police Powers .... The "cuts" Protest 26th March .... Brian Haw
Following a massive and mainly peaceful protest in London on Saturday 26th March (see The Independent 28th March), the government has stated that it is to review Police Powers - see Home Office "Protest: we will review Police Powers." In excess...
- Rights Also Entail Responsibilities ...
It is one thing to have a "right" such as Freedom of Expression but that does not mean that it can be exercised irresponsibly. This point is well made by the High Court's decision in Abdul and others v D.P.P. [2011] EWHC 247 (Admin). - Gross...
- Peaceful Protest
Recent days have seen demonstrations against the coalition government policy of increasing tuition fees for students going to University from 1st September 2012 onwards. Whilst the vast majority of demonstrators appear to have conducted themselves...
Law and Rights
A website "taken down"
The issue of funding of university education is a matter of massive public concern and if the country is to have any future success then proper funding of universities is essential. The massive increases in fees are more than likely to deter many from pursuing their hope of a degree and the country may well be, in the longer term, the poorer for it. A further source of grievance is that the arrangements for funding of degree courses varies across the U.K. with Scotland being particularly generous to students - see BBC 10th October. This inequality between the constituent parts of the U.K. is going to be unsustainable.
The Guardian 16th November 2010
and for an item on the possible effect of increasing student fees see The Guardian 18th November.
Freedom of expression is an important right contained within the European Convention on Human Rights Article 10. It is not an absolute right since certain restrictions apply - Article 10(2). Any restriction on the right must be prescribed by law and must be necessary in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime , for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
- Charlie Hebdo - Freedom Of Expression
The murders of 7th January 2015 in Paris are profoundly shocking - BBC New Europe "Charlie Hebdo: Gun attack on French magazine kills 12." Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical newspaper noted for satire and irreverence on many topics including all...
- Yet More "guidance" ~ Beware All Ye Judicial Bloggers!
Should judicial office holders retain freedom of expression? This is the issue lying at the heart of "guidance" issued by the Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales (Lord Justice Goldring) to magistrates. Of course, we would all expect members...
- Protest: Police Powers .... The "cuts" Protest 26th March .... Brian Haw
Following a massive and mainly peaceful protest in London on Saturday 26th March (see The Independent 28th March), the government has stated that it is to review Police Powers - see Home Office "Protest: we will review Police Powers." In excess...
- Rights Also Entail Responsibilities ...
It is one thing to have a "right" such as Freedom of Expression but that does not mean that it can be exercised irresponsibly. This point is well made by the High Court's decision in Abdul and others v D.P.P. [2011] EWHC 247 (Admin). - Gross...
- Peaceful Protest
Recent days have seen demonstrations against the coalition government policy of increasing tuition fees for students going to University from 1st September 2012 onwards. Whilst the vast majority of demonstrators appear to have conducted themselves...