Law and Rights
Christmas Day! The Houghton Weavers once asked- "What's Christmas without a brass band" and so here is a superb selection of carols played by musicians of the Salvation Army. I hope you enjoy it. There is also a light-hearted item played by a world famous brass band from West Yorkshire - Brighouse and Rastrick play SANTA.
Let us hope that 2014 proves to be a peaceful and happy year. There is much to work for if access to justice and the generally high standards of our legal system are to be maintained. There is much to be done for the less well-off in our country and across the world there are massive challenges.
Here is a quick glance at a few items of interest .....
Lord Mance (Justice of the Supreme Court) has spoken about "Europe" - "Destruction of Metamorphosis of the Legal Order" - "No man is an island" states Lord Mance and neither can a nation stand alone in the modern "globalised" world. He concentrates on what he termed "the European project, resting on the twin foundations of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Union." Lord Mance highlights some of the benefits brought to the UK by the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.
Writing in The Guardian 22nd December, Jon Henley asks - Why is the European Court of Human Rights hated by the UK right? I urge you to read and consider it. Regular readers of this blog will have realised that I am pro-the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. The Convention system offers protection for the individual against the excesses of State power. If the Convention is to do this effectively, the Convention must be a "living instrument" capable of being sensibly adapted to changing circumstances.
The Secretary of State for Justice has announced a "pardon" for Alan Turing who was instrumental in breaking the Enigma Code used by the Germans in World War 2. A previous post on Turing is here. The Head of Legal blog has a very good and well-reasoned analysis of this pardon.
The Defence Brief blog looks at the sentencing of Denis MacShane in relation to parliamentary expenses and how his 6 month sentence compares with guidance for benefit fraud. A reasonable argument here, I think.
CharonQC has been missed for a considerable part of 2013. He had an accident and he was not able to keep up his usual level of blogging. It is good to see that he is getting back into harness and he "has a go" at the Secretary of State for Justice for bringing in new prison regulations which forbid the sending of even a Christmas card to a family member who is "inside" at Christmas - Lord Chancellor Grayling has shamed our nation - It revolts me
Marilyn Stowe is a great family law blog and it has several interesting posts: Citizens Advice estimates half a million unreported Victims of Domestic Violence; A family lawyer's Christmas wish list by John Bolch; Christmas is for the children; and My review of the year (part six) by John Bolch. A superb blog with "classy" presentation.
Lastly, for this post, I turn to the UK Human Rights blog with its formidably talented team of writers. Their weekly roundups of news are always pertinent, informative and interesting. Here is the one of 23rd December. Thanks also to this blog for sometimes linking to some of my posts.
Enjoy the Festive Season - think of those less fortunate and, if you can, help them. In the restless world of the law, there will be much more to write about in the coming days and months.
- 19 By 25 On Christmas Day
It?s a wonderful Christmas morning. The tree is still beautiful, even with torn wrapping paper and opened boxes scattered amidst some still-unwrapped presents intended for friends who haven?t yet arrived. As things settled down, I wandered to the kitchen...
- A Happy Christmas
24th December: On this Christmas Eve may I wish all readers a Truly Happy Christmas. The Christmas message is a one of hope in what can be a very dark world. May that message shine through like a candle in the darkness during the days and...
- British Institute Of Human Rights ~ New Factsheet
The British Institute of Human Rights has just published a factsheet - available HERE Please read it. It is now almost 60 years since the European Convention on Human Rights came into force (on 3rd September 1953). What does it seek...
- Seasons Greetings
The Greetings of the Season to all readers. Thank you for your interest in the various stories and for your interesting comments. All much appreciated. Christmas tree in the foyer of the Supreme Court. Please return to the blog over the...
- Greetings Of The Season
The Michaelmas Law Term drew to its close on 21st December. The next Law Term will be Hilary commencing on 11th January. Little or nothing will now be heard from our senior courts though a Judge of the High Court is available during vacation...
Law and Rights
Christmas Day 2013
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| Manchester Christmas Markets 2013 |
Let us hope that 2014 proves to be a peaceful and happy year. There is much to work for if access to justice and the generally high standards of our legal system are to be maintained. There is much to be done for the less well-off in our country and across the world there are massive challenges.
Here is a quick glance at a few items of interest .....
Lord Mance (Justice of the Supreme Court) has spoken about "Europe" - "Destruction of Metamorphosis of the Legal Order" - "No man is an island" states Lord Mance and neither can a nation stand alone in the modern "globalised" world. He concentrates on what he termed "the European project, resting on the twin foundations of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Union." Lord Mance highlights some of the benefits brought to the UK by the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.
Writing in The Guardian 22nd December, Jon Henley asks - Why is the European Court of Human Rights hated by the UK right? I urge you to read and consider it. Regular readers of this blog will have realised that I am pro-the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. The Convention system offers protection for the individual against the excesses of State power. If the Convention is to do this effectively, the Convention must be a "living instrument" capable of being sensibly adapted to changing circumstances.
The Secretary of State for Justice has announced a "pardon" for Alan Turing who was instrumental in breaking the Enigma Code used by the Germans in World War 2. A previous post on Turing is here. The Head of Legal blog has a very good and well-reasoned analysis of this pardon.
The Defence Brief blog looks at the sentencing of Denis MacShane in relation to parliamentary expenses and how his 6 month sentence compares with guidance for benefit fraud. A reasonable argument here, I think.
Marilyn Stowe is a great family law blog and it has several interesting posts: Citizens Advice estimates half a million unreported Victims of Domestic Violence; A family lawyer's Christmas wish list by John Bolch; Christmas is for the children; and My review of the year (part six) by John Bolch. A superb blog with "classy" presentation.
Lastly, for this post, I turn to the UK Human Rights blog with its formidably talented team of writers. Their weekly roundups of news are always pertinent, informative and interesting. Here is the one of 23rd December. Thanks also to this blog for sometimes linking to some of my posts.
Enjoy the Festive Season - think of those less fortunate and, if you can, help them. In the restless world of the law, there will be much more to write about in the coming days and months.
- 19 By 25 On Christmas Day
It?s a wonderful Christmas morning. The tree is still beautiful, even with torn wrapping paper and opened boxes scattered amidst some still-unwrapped presents intended for friends who haven?t yet arrived. As things settled down, I wandered to the kitchen...
- A Happy Christmas
24th December: On this Christmas Eve may I wish all readers a Truly Happy Christmas. The Christmas message is a one of hope in what can be a very dark world. May that message shine through like a candle in the darkness during the days and...
- British Institute Of Human Rights ~ New Factsheet
The British Institute of Human Rights has just published a factsheet - available HERE Please read it. It is now almost 60 years since the European Convention on Human Rights came into force (on 3rd September 1953). What does it seek...
- Seasons Greetings
The Greetings of the Season to all readers. Thank you for your interest in the various stories and for your interesting comments. All much appreciated. Christmas tree in the foyer of the Supreme Court. Please return to the blog over the...
- Greetings Of The Season
The Michaelmas Law Term drew to its close on 21st December. The next Law Term will be Hilary commencing on 11th January. Little or nothing will now be heard from our senior courts though a Judge of the High Court is available during vacation...