Sunday 22 December 2013

The debate on the European Convention on Human Rights

In recent times, a number of senior judges have made interventions in the ongoing debate on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg which enforces it.  They include Lord Sumption and Lord Reed of the Supreme Court, the recently retired Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, Lord Justice Laws of the Court of Appeal and Judge Paul Mahoney of the Strasbourg Court.

Friday 26 October 2012

Some notes on Lords reform

The numerous inquiries, reports, white papers and parliamentary votes on Lords reform since the House of Lords Act 1999 (listed here) have produced a consensus on quite a number of points:

British citizenship - Updated post

This post seeks to give an overview of the concept of citizenship in UK law.

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Blasphemy in the civil law

England used to have a blasphemy law - or, more precisely, it used to recognise the twin offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel.  Yet it is rarely remembered that the purpose of the blasphemy law was as much political as religious.  It was aimed against perceived subversion of the law, society and the state rather than at preventing individuals from committing sin in the eyes of God.

Tuesday 2 October 2012

The origins of the idea of the mixed constitution

In a previous post, I examined the recurring theme of the mixed and balanced constitution in English constitutional writings.  In this post, I want to look at some of the ancient sources of this theme.

Wednesday 4 April 2012

The Lords' Tale

This is a rather odd documentary on the hereditary peers in the House of Lords made by the Canadian filmmaker Molly Dineen.  The hereditaries were removed from the House in 1999, with the exception of a rump of 92 who remained under a deal struck between the Conservative Lords leader Lord Cranborne and the Labour Government (which opposed the making of the film).

Saturday 31 March 2012