China blocked from attending Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state September 16, 2022 A Chinese government delegation has been blocked from attending Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state. House of Commons speaker Lindsey Hoyle has refused a request for Chinese officials to be allowed access to Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth II will lie in state until her funeral on Monday, Politico first reported. The refusal comes after [...]
BBC urged to cancel Bain & Co contract following UK government ban September 12, 2022 The BBC has said it will “consider” calls for it to cancel its contract with Bain & Co, following the UK’s government’s decision to ban the consultancy from competing for government contracts. The broadcaster said it will consider calls from veteran anti-apartheid campaigner Lord Hain for the BBC to cancel its contract with Bain over allegations [...]
Bank scandal victims must be informed of compensation deadline, campaigners say September 11, 2022 The banks at the centre of a multi-billion-pound mis-selling scandal should be forced to inform their victims of an approaching deadline to receive compensation, the Transparency Task Force (TTF) has told MPs. Victims of the interest rate hedging product (IRHP) scandal should be informed they must file any complaints to the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority [...]
Information watchdog to crack down on Freedom of Information request failures September 11, 2022 The head of the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has warned public bodies it will take action against those failing to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests within the required 20-day time frame, after issuing its first enforcement notice against a government department in seven years. ICO chief John Edwards said the watchdog [...]
Solicitors watchdog to crack down on SLAPP lawsuits, SRA chief says September 8, 2022 The head of the UK’s Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has vowed to crack down on the use of spurious lawsuits to silence legitimate criticism. In an article in The Times, SRA chief executive Paul Philip said the watchdog is “committed to cracking down” on law firms using so-called ‘strategic lawsuits against public participation’ (Slapps). The [...]
UK’s new justice secretary Brandon Lewis to meet with Criminal Bar Association September 8, 2022 The UK’s new justice secretary Brandon Lewis has agreed to meet with the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) following former justice secretary Dominic Raab’s failure to meet with the barristers’ trade body. Lewis is set to meet CBA chair Kirsty Brimelow QC on Monday 12th September, after his predecessor failed to directly engage with striking barristers [...]
Audit watchdog’s Birmingham staff relocation plans still to be decided September 7, 2022 Ministers have not yet come to a decision as to whether staff at the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will be asked to relocate to Birmingham following the launch of the UK’s new audit watchdog, City A.M. understands. Staff were told that Birmingham had been picked as the home of the UK’s new Audit, Reporting Governance [...]
New justice secretary Brandon Lewis faces calls to ‘open negotiations’ with barristers September 7, 2022 Former secretary of state for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis is set to succeed Dominic Raab as the UK’s new justice secretary. The 51-year-old MP for Great Yarmouth is set to face immediate pressure from striking barristers following calls from the chair of the Criminal Bar Association for “substantial positive movement” from the government. The appointment [...]
Legal fee hike on current cases could end barristers strike, CBA chair suggests September 6, 2022 AN IMMEDIATE 15 per cent hike to legal aid fees for ongoing cases could be enough to end the barristers’ strike, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) hinted today. CBA chair Kirsty Brimelow told MPs today that the group would ballot its members on ending the strike if “significant” progress is made “That [...]
Information watchdog reviews data complaint from striking barristers September 4, 2022 THE UK’s data protection watchdog is reviewing a complaint that argues justice secretary Dominic Raab could have breached privacy laws, after he allegedly requested that the names of striking barristers be collected and handed over to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). London law firm Mishcon de Reya, acting on behalf of the Criminal Bar Association [...]