A minute’s silence impeccably observed by 74,000 people. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

Immigration accounts for only around 1.5% of the Strasbourg caselaw. I argue here that it has had, on balance, a positive influence on UK national security. www.daqc.co.uk/2024/11/28/n...

And for an example of the core function of the ECHR, what Strasbourg absolutely should be doing in constraining state action, and which could not have been done without it.

It's too early to know and investigations will quite properly follow into what was and was not known about the Manchester attacker. It is the first seminar of my intelligence module tomorrow and I'll be starting with this from @bricksilk.bsky.social following a previous attack in Manchester

Conor Gearty obituary - The Guardian www.theguardian.com/law/2025/sep...

It is 20 years since Conor Gearty gave the Hamlyn Lectures on Can Human Rights Survive? As a mark of respect following the dreadful news of his, Cambridge University Press & Assessment has made these lectures Open Access for the remainder of the year. You can find them here: lnkd.in/e5Xrt2G5

As beautifully written as it is devastating.

This is actually really big and very welcome. Unannounced amidst yesterday’s Hillsborough Law are new provisions to upgrade the UK’s archaic misconduct in public office offence. Big win for @spotlightcorruption.org. Here’s our analysis @bricksilk.bsky.social @csc-barrington.bsky.social

A really comprehensive analysis of the UK's commitments vis the ECHR under the GFA - applying the only meaningful legal framework, i.e. an international law analysis that takes account of the clear intent of the parties.

Hard-hitting and practical plea for greater parliamentary scrutiny of Treaties committees.parliament.uk/committee/44...

Ipswich Waterfront (with, for a few days only, the Santa Maria)

Cool-headed and chilling: this is an essential read.

Among a number of brilliant speeches in HL, Baroness Prentis’s (14:21:00 - against) and Lord Pannick’s (14:54:45 - for) were incredibly powerful, in completely different ways. Watch them, you will not regret it! parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/... #AssistedDying

HL Constitution committee report on the Assisted Dying Bill – some serious reservations are noted publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5901/ld....

The Attorney General was put through his place this morning for the first time by the HL Constitution Committee. Video here, transcript to follow in a few days: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/....

Prosecuting for Daesh crimes: debate today on JCHR’s important recent report hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-0....

20 years ago, Parliament argued anxiously about whether suspected terrorists could be tagged and curfewed and confined. In 2025, government asks us to allow such powers, and more, to be used without safeguards on any temporary visa-holder: tourist, student, spouse of a UK citizen ... /1

Former DPP Ken Macdonald has already broken ranks on the Refugee Convention, and I am sure politicians of all parties will be considering these kinds of options. So others should be analysing them too. What do experts think? derrickwyatt.substack.com/p/how-starme...

Recommended for anyone who wants to see our new Home Secretary being put through her paces.

The Lord Chancellor gave evidence this morning to the HL Constitution Committee - including (from 10:45) on UK involvement in possible reform of the ECHR. Video here, transcript in a few days www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/....

The European Convention on Human Rights entered into force on this day in 1953. The convention has improved people’s lives, in many different ways, across the continent. Here are more than 200 examples: www.coe.int/ECHR There are thousands more. #ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms

This is such a bad take. Two things can be true at the same time: 1) the vandalism at Policy Exchange's offices is unacceptable (and utterly idiotic); & 2) it is perfectly legitimate to ask for transparency about who funds a reactionary think tank with significant influence over UK politics

Appalling that Policy Exchange’s offices were violently attacked last night - just the latest in a lengthy series of such intimidatory attacks targeted at think tanks and campaign groups, doing perfectly legitimate work that is part of our democratic process.

An appeal was to be expected and is legitimate. I’m sorry though that a “senior Home Office source” felt it necessary to say …”it was a matter of "democracy" and that the judiciary should not be able to tell the government where it can and can't place asylum seekers”.

The rather impressive temporary Canadian House of Commons chamber — the old one is being restored and renewed. Will British parliamentarians ever do the same?

❓Is the newly announced Ethics and Integrity Commission going to ‘stop the rot’ as the government has promised? We’re not so sure. Great piece by the Constitution Society raising the right questions about whether the govt needs to go further to fulfil its promise of ‘restoring trust in politics’.

The Attorney General, Carl Schmitt and international law: voelkerrechtsblog.org/de/carl-schm...

Wrote a piece - with Matt Nicholson - on whether dualism provides an effective guide to, or description of, the UK's relationship with international laws (tl;dr summary: not really). It will be coming out in the CLJ in due course, but you can read it *now* here: www.cambridge.org/core/service...

The root problem is identified by @bricksilk.bsky.social here bsky.app/profile/bric...: the 2019 changes mean that expressing support for PA, even in a “their heart is in the right place” way, is likely to be criminal.

From yesterday: Court of Appeal upholds SIAC decision on correct approach in deprivation appeals | Sonia Lenegan

Brexit can’t break every bond. 🌍🎶 Triorca Youth Orchestra are young musicians from Norwich and its twin cities in Novi Sad, Koblenz and now Rouen. Last month they turned twinning into music, friendship and a stunning Rouen cathedral concert. 🎻 Read the story ⤵️ @eastangliabylines.co.uk

A year after the horrific attack on three young girls in Southport, ISD’s new policy paper assesses how policymakers can respond to emerging forms of extremism-related violence which are currently slipping through the cracks 👇 www.isdglobal.org/isd-publicat...

The text of my keynote address to the 2025 ALBA Conference last month is now on my website: www.daqc.co.uk/2025/08/03/p....

This is a truly excellent article about radicalisation from @samfr.bsky.social. One of those that you wish you'd been able to write yourself. The concept of 'defensive self-esteem' was particularly persuasive because it resonated so much.

Judgment in Shvidler and press summary here: supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2.... Connoisseurs of robust dissents will want to have a look at Lord Leggatt’s.

Judgment will be given at 0945 tomorrow on the challenge of a UK-US dual national, my client Eugene Shvidler, to the Russia sanctions imposed on him after the invasion of Ukraine: supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2.... It is the first case under SAMLA 2018 to reach the UK Supreme Court.

Domimic Casciani’s 3-part series on the UK’s 21st century fight against terrorism is compelling and authoritative. It was an honour to be given a voice in Part 3. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

Breaking News: President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize the state of Palestine, making it the first of the G7 nations to do so.

A wise move, suggested by @terrorwatchdog.bsky.social and endorsed in my recent report: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025....

Text of the UK-German friendship treaty www.gov.uk/government/n...

Access to civil justice: masterclass yesterday before HL Constitution Committee from Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls parliamentlive.tv/event/index/.... Transcript will follow in a few days.

On @bricksilk.bsky.social's just published report, “Lessons for #Prevent“; full text available here: www.gov.uk/government/p...

The 'Lessons for Prevent' report published today by the UK's Interim Independent Prevent Commissioner Lord Anderson gets to the heart of key issues challenging responses to violent extremism in today's shifting threat landscape. ISD is pleased to see our threat analysis & policy reccs reflected.

Learn the Lessons of #Prevent from Lord Anderson's report into failings. Good to hear him remind people of the positives too, as he credits Prevent for many successful interventions which don't get media attention. Recommendations include taking online activity more seriously. @bricksilk.bsky.social

Interviewed on #Prevent by Andrew Marr this evening on LBC after 6, from 16 to 25 minutes in. Available on YouTube – he was certainly well prepared.

Prevent missed chances with Southport killer, says review www.bbc.com/news/article...

Prevent missed chances with Southport killer, says review www.bbc.com/news/article...

“Lessons for #Prevent“ now published www.gov.uk/government/p...

Superbly written, detailed account of this extraordinary case @joshuarozenberg.bsky.social Well worth a read for those who care about both privacy/security of those at risk of harm and responsible journalism/free speech. And demonstrates how impressive are our senior judges

My report "Lessons for Prevent" will be published on Wednesday, probably late morning. My terms of reference ask me to look at the Prevent histories of the killers of Sir David Amess and the Southport girls, and draw any conclusions for the future of Prevent. www.gov.uk/government/p...