~theguardian-world | Bookmarks (12)

Exclusive: Labour mayor argues only ‘fundamental rewiring’ of political system can prevent more ‘colossal’ state failuresThe final report of the infected blood inquiry must not only deliver justice but act as a catalyst to prevent such “colossal” state failures happening again, Andy Burnham has said.The mayor of Greater Manchester, a long-time advocate for victims of the scandal, said a “fundamental rewiring of the political...

Concerns that rare sleep disorder is being used as an ‘escape route’ in sexual offence trials prompt calls for safeguards to protect victims and the publicExperts and lawyers involved in sexual offence cases in Britain have warned that suspected rapists are evading justice by claiming to have a rare sleepwalking disorder that causes them to engage in sexual activity while asleep.They said there had...

High court strikes out part but not all of Bridgen’s case and orders him to pay Tory MP’s costsThe MP Andrew Bridgen has been ordered to pay Matt Hancock more than £40,000 in legal fees after an early stage of their libel battle.The MP for North West Leicestershire is bringing a libel claim against the former health secretary regarding a January 2023 message on...

Victoria McCloud wants leave to join litigation in supreme court appeal brought by For Women ScotlandThe UK’s first transgender judge is seeking leave to join the litigation in a crucial supreme court case that could significantly affect legal protections for transgender women, the Guardian has learned.Victoria McCloud, a senior civil judge who became the youngest person appointed as master of the high court in...

British Pregnancy Advisory Service says there is ‘genuine concern’ over rising number of investigationsSenior Labour figures seeking to water down plans to decriminalise abortionA leading provider of abortion services has received more than 30 demands to hand over medical records of women to police in the past four years, increasing to an average of one a month since October.Rachael Clarke, the chief of staff...

Some of the Tories’ ‘anti-woke warriors’ seem unaware that protection of speech in parliament does not extend to social mediaOn 28 October, Michelle Donelan, the secretary of state for science, published a letter expressing her “disgust and outrage” that two academics who had been appointed to an advisory group had been “sharing some extremist views on social media”.It was an extremely serious accusation levelled...

Jury acquits Jeffrey Cook and John Mason after lawyers argue payments were authorised by UK and Saudi governmentsTwo men have been acquitted of paying bribes totalling millions of pounds to high-ranking Saudis after they argued that they had been unfairly prosecuted.Jeffrey Cook and John Mason had been accused of bribing a Saudi prince and his associates to secure and maintain a huge defence deal...

Exclusive: Group of London toilet cleaners and attendants at court of appeal over legality of outsourced contractsA group of toilet cleaners and attendants for London’s most famous parks could be about to make legal history in the court of appeal by arguing that their outsourced contracts amounted to indirect race discrimination.While Royal Parks’ mostly white in-house staff were paid at least the London living...

Women losing ‘everything’ after being accused of illegal abortion in England and Wales, even if not charged, says Dr Jonathan LordWomen in England and Wales accused of having illegal abortions have been held in custody after pregnancy loss, had their children taken into care and been saddled with debt, an expert has said.Dr Jonathan Lord, a co-chair of the Royal College of Obstetricians and...

Vincent Reynouard discovered living double life in Scottish village where he worked as a tutor, reports sayA Holocaust denier who was arrested in a Scottish fishing village will be extradited back to France after spending two years on the run from the authorities.Vincent Reynouard lost his extradition battle after his arrest in November 2022. He had been discovered living a double life in Anstruther,...

Study by Appeal finds there was a desire to dilute influence of minority ethnic and working-class jurorsThe introduction of majority verdicts in criminal trials in England and Wales was partly motivated by a desire to dilute the influence of minority ethnic people and the labouring classes serving on juries, according to research.The study, by the miscarriage of justice charity Appeal, said that while the...

Royal college voices concern at rise in number of prosecutions of ‘deeply traumatised’ womenMedical staff in the UK should not report women to the police if they believe their patients may have illegally ended their own pregnancy, a professional body has said.The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has said it is never in the public interest to report women who have abortions...