Next Tuesday (17 March) the European Court of Human Rights will finally hand down the case of DA and RA v United Kingdom, on whether the "benefit cap" in force at the time breached Article 14 ECHR. 1/4

Interesting NZ HC case on expulsion from party and thus as MP subjecting decision to public law JR principles (as I understand on quick skim) cf in E&W, Tortoise Media in CoA Though that was a s6 HRA case, as I reskimmed it (again speedily), essence is that no a public body but contractual

UK government releases list of 76 EU laws that it says UK will align with under food standards treaty with EU www.gov.uk/government/n...

In this interview with the SCOTUS Blog, which launches its series on global apex courts, I reflect on the role of the UK Supreme Court and consider whether adjudication at this level in the UK is really as apolitical as we often assume it to be. www.scotusblog.com/2026/03/the-...

I’m trying the Hoop and Grapes on Farringdon Street—which can’t have been long reopened. This is a good addition to the area. Much better than a lot of the bars nearby. The staff are great. www.hoopandgrapes.co.uk

I think this is great, too.

Legal advice re use of UK bases for attacks on Iranian missile bases now published www.gov.uk/government/n...

I get how this song works in the context of and given the theatrical style of the Threepenny Opera, but have never understood why it’s sung on its own in concerts and albums. However jazzed up, it’s so repetitive.

I’ve just started an Andrew Cartmel novel, just because of his #DrWho connection. The village England he creates in this is so far quite like the world of the 7th Doctor. You almost expect Ace to appear any moment.

@davidkitchen.bsky.social A couple of Listmakers ideas. Top stories featuring quarries. Top collaborators—human villains working for or with alien baddies. Such as Tobias Vaughan, Stien or Guy Crayford.

It didn’t seem especially polished when I was there at Christmas! Hard to get a place to sit, but I liked this place.

Both Reform and the Greens are led by obvious charlatans. But large parts of the general public either don’t care or choose to ignore that. That’s how weak the Labour and Conservative propositions are right now.

As the analysis starts of the Gorton and Denton result, I wanted to flag some aspects that my experience yesterday suggests are being over or under-played (Caveats - I went to Longsight, Gorton and Denton town centres and spoke to as many people as I could, but it was mostly during the working day)

Not specifically about sectarianism or accusations of it. But my general inclination is to disagree with the view expressed by MPs in the second paragraph, that might be caricatured as "Best not attack a party whose new voters you want back". But beyond just tending to disagree with it ...

For Lexis subscribers: This overview of yesterday’s Supreme Court judgment in ABJ and BDN features some commentary from me urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...

The Divisional Court has now issued but immediately suspended a quashing order regarding the proscription of Palestine Action. This results in precisely the situation anticipated by my post below: a proscription order that is unlawful according to the High Court but unquashed for the time being.

In an unsurprising judgment, the UK Supreme Court has ruled that section 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act 2000 is compatible with Article 10 ECHR supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2...

If this has been about a Tory Lord in the Johnson years, loads of Tory MPs would be demanding Hoyle’s resignation.

Four years have passed since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia was supposed to win in three days. Instead, Ukraine reinvented modern warfare, built a drone industry, and can destroy a thousand Russian soldiers in a day. Ukraine can win.

This is an underestimated feature of everything, for example institutions like government departments. Of course sometimes organisational changes can improve things, but stability is undervalued.

Just watched one woman realise another had left her bag, grab it, chase her, run to the latter’s connecting train, hand it to her and then run back to her own train LIKE A SUPERHERO as both trains simultaneously departed What if her kindness foiled a deliberate spy/drug handover though 🍿

So much that could be said on the 4th anniversary of the full scale invasion, but it all just boils down to the ultimate admiration for Ukrainians who have endured so much, fought so hard and deserve victory, peace and prosperity. Slava Ukraini!

Shobna Gulati’s good in multiple parts, Lucy Beaumont’s fine when she finally comes on and Tom Courtenay lifts things with a standout monologue on video. But God, “Road” at the Royal Exchange is a depressing, dull, annoying play. So static and undramatic.

Judicial review of quasi-policies administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com/2026/02/20/j...

6:3. The 3 were the ultras.

How can community organisations and legal experts work together to challenge injustice more effectively? Join us for our free webinar, Collaborative legal approaches for social change, on Thursday 19 March from 10:00-12:00. 🎟️ Book a free place now: lnkd.in/eG8mmHx7

As always, the default heuristic in relation to live criminal investigations is: shut up and let Plod get on with it.

I hope he makes a ridiculous crown immunity claim; we could do with some case law on crown criminal immunity.

Dane Luo and Gabriel Tan: Non-Textual, Purposive Limits on Policy? The Divisional Court’s Errors on the Home Secretary’s Proscription Policy in the Palestine Action Judgment ukconstitutionallaw.org/2026/02/18/d...

In this case the High Court employed section 3 HRA to "read in an opportunity to give renewed consent where it has not been renewed within the time allowed by statute"

Government has already laid before Parliament the SI cancelling the 30 local elections. It takes effect from 27 Feb & will need to be annulled when Parliament comes back from recess next week. Was laid 5 Feb, after 20 Jan hearing in Reform's JR. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/96...

Home Office lawyers were deeply concerned when they learned last week that Palestine Action had successfully challenged a banning order made in July by the former home secretary Yvette Cooper. rozenberg.substack.com/p/terror-ban...

A County Court judgment on an unlawful eviction claim (locks changed while tenant and children were on holiday). Landlord files hopeless defence then fails to take part. Damages of over £50,000. Thanks to Radhika Shah of Harrow Law Centre for the note of judgment. nearlylegal.co.uk/2026/02/evicte…

This is a really great pub.

So depressing to see a Labour MP push misinformation like this. The judgment @kateosbornemp.bsky.social refers to is here: goodlawproject.org/wp-content/u.... Will she say which paragraph/s say “the EHRC’s draft code of practice got the law wrong”? No. Because none do. bsky.app/profile/kate...

Does Farage need Russian money to spout their talking points, or does he just do it for free?

Professor Elliot also seems less than legally convinced by today's judgment. I agree that "While acknowledging the need to accord ‘latitude’ to the Secretary of State, given the nature of the decision in play, the court makes little, if any, effort to show its working in this respect".

The Admin court's ruling on the Palestine Action proscription depends in part on saying the purpose of the Home Secretary's policy is to limit use of the proscription power. That can't be right, can it? If that were a correct reading of the policy, that'd be an unlawful fettering of discretion.

I agree with this. I think the court's reasoning is problematic, on the meaning of "other factors" in the light of the purpose of the proscription policy:

The kids in America are caskin’! Loved writing about the blossoming US cask beer scene for @insidehook.bsky.social - so much great British-style beer to enjoy stateside now 👌🏽🍻🌟 And big thanks to all who participated 😊 www.insidehook.com/beer/young-a...

The Good Law Project and others v CEHR. The court dismisses the claim and consequently action for judicial review, and finds the GLP had no standing to bring a challenge. www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/u...

CCRC statement on Lucy Letby - "We do not make decisions on the basis of external pressure from anyone." - timeline confirms Letby has now waived legal privilege: ccrc.gov.uk/news/chairs-...

Today's Admin Court judgment ruling the proscription of Palestine Action unlawful looks to me to take a very narrow legal approach, and to be very legally picky: www.judiciary.uk/judgments/hu... I imagine the Home Secretary is getting legal advice that she has a pretty good chance on appeal.

This morning the High Court found that the government's decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was unlawful. Explanation and analysis from @finishedloading.bsky.social and me below.

I had a pint of Wylam brewery's 'Plain' porter on cask at The Magnet last night, and it was about 100x more delicious than any nitro stout I have ever had, and just as drinkable.

A very nice looking can. But what's "small" about this beer?

Interesting article about pubs from the Institute of Alcohol Studies - www.ias.org.uk/2026/02/10/i... featuring @campaignforpubs.bsky.social and @theswanyork.bsky.social

Interesting interview. I really like the Kernel beers I've had. I think he's right about IPA, and as someone paying less attention than he does (and who mainly drinks cask rather than craft) my impression has been that "IPA" has meant anything and everything in craft beer recently.

Question: are there any apex courts, in any jurisdiction, which currently sit in panels with an even number of judges? (Excepting cases involving illnesses, recusals, deaths etc)