Law
What can society learn from the ‘grooming’ scandals?
The verdicts have been delivered in the Operation Bullfinch trial. Seven of the nine men have been found ‘guilty’. The case involved the highly organised sexual and physical abuse of… Continue reading
177 Comments
Reform human rights to save human rights
The European Convention of Human Rights is developed and interpreted as times change; but is there a democratic imbalance when only lawyers and judges can do this? Particularly where the… Continue reading
14 Comments Another weird sacking
Another teacher has been sacked for what looks like a wholly fatuous and unjust reason; these stories come in at the rate of about two a week. Christopher Hammond, head… Continue reading
82 Comments
Vicky Pryce and the Usefulness of the Not Proven Verdict
Like John Rentoul, I think much of the scoffing and chortling at the expense of the poor jury asked to consider Vicky Pryce’s guilt (or innocence!) is misplaced. This was… Continue reading
34 Comments
Arraigning a corpse
Part 1 “Russian Justice” A judge at Moscow’s Tverskoi District Court stopped the trial of Sergei Magnitsky (above) yesterday – but not because the defendant was dead. Magnitsky’s demise was… Continue reading
5 Comments
Government will appeal controversial immigration decision
Further to the row that has erupted between Theresa May and some judges over the deportation of foreign criminals, the government is understood to be applying to appeal the case of… Continue reading
21 Comments
Adultery and the same-sex marriage bill
Nadine Dorries said during the debate on same sex marriage last week that ‘This bill in no way makes a requirement of faithfulness from same-sex couples. In fact, it does… Continue reading
45 Comments
Scientologists trap us in the closet
Whenever I give lectures on my book on censorship – Whaddya mean you haven’t read it? Buy it here at a recession-beating price – I discuss the great issues of… Continue reading
16 Comments
When will the government confront the EU?
Here is a story that should have got far more attention. A story that perfectly epitomises the corruption and anti-democratic activity of the EU. In 2010 the group NGO Monitor… Continue reading
67 Comments
Gordon Wilson, a hero for our times
If there was any justice in the world, Yorkshire pensioner Gordon Wilson would feature in the New Year’s Honours list – but I suppose it’s too much to hope for.… Continue reading
74 Comments In praise of the bloody-minded Paul Chambers
What freedoms we have in Britain have not come as a rule from revolutions and thunderous declarations of the rights of man. More often than not, our liberties have come… Continue reading
9 Comments
‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers’
Given that David Cameron, rightly, seems to believe Lord Leveson’s recommendations are a crock of shit, what was the point of the inquiry in the first place? To show that… Continue reading
85 Comments
Rotherham’s ‘political commissars’ reinforce the need for a free press
‘Clearly she has morphed somewhere in her career from social worker to political commissar.’ These are the words of Minette Marrin, writing of the social worker at the centre of… Continue reading
111 Comments
How easy would it be to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights?
As James says, the prisoner votes row will return to parliament before lunch today. The government is expected to offer the Commons three choices: The retention of the blanket ban,… Continue reading
126 Comments
Cabinet row over imprisoned SAS soldier
A lunchtime spat has broken out over Sergeant Danny Nightingale, the SAS serviceman who was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a court martial after pleading guilty to possession… Continue reading
50 Comments
Abu Qatada walks free at our expense
Just last month I wrote about the inverted priorities of our judiciary and police who busy themselves with the arrest of individuals for things posted on social networking sites. Earlier… Continue reading
13 Comments
Abu Qatada’s victory proves how low we have been laid
For years a collection of politicians and commentators said that the ECHR and ECtHR would have no impact on British justice. Then they said that they would have no negative… Continue reading
66 Comments
What can Theresa May do to deport Abu Qatada?
Theresa May gave a defiant statement to the house on the Special Immigration Appeals Committee’s (SIAC) decision to uphold Abu Qatada’s appeal against deportation to Jordan on grounds that he… Continue reading
54 Comments
Abu Qatada and the problem of freedom-stomping friends - Spectator Blogs
And so, once again, the judges are in the dock for insisting that due process be followed even when, as in the case of Abu Qatada, it is inconvenient to… Continue reading
15 Comments
Another Hateful Decision by the European Court of So-Called Human Rights - Spectator Blogs
How much longer must we put up with this kind of thing? A bus driver who was fired for being a member of the BNP has won a long legal… Continue reading
80 Comments