As someone who grew up in Oxfordshire in the 70s 80s and 90s, cars were not then (and are not now) the easiest way to get into Oxford. Congestion was terrible and we took the bus or used one of the cheap and convenient park and ride schemes.

Minor bugbear of mine when people call House of Lords “undemocratic” for holding up Commons legislation. It is the will of the Commons, as expressed in the Parliament Acts, that HoL has power to revise and delay but not prevent HoC legislation. That they use this power is part of our democracy.

That’s not so much a “law” as an absence of law, from a bygone colonial era. These days international law is based on an underlying respect for sovereignty, and alliances between states for, among other things, mutual defence against aggressors.

Settling down to listen to the Lords pinging the Employment Rights pong again.

I think this guardian headline misrepresents what the letter (which is addressed to the minister, not Tory peers) is saying. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Employment Rights Bill: if I’m reading this right I think the Lords have (rightly) rejected the proposed last minute removal of the unfair dismissal cap and instead proposed a review of the cap, subject to proper consultation. Back to the Commons we go… hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-1...

Commons passes govt’s latest amendments to the Employment Rights Bill including 6 month unfair dismissal rights and abolishing compensation cap. I rather expect to see further fireworks in the Lords over the latter. hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025...

Latest government Employment Rights Bill amendment paper just dropped. Includes plan to repeal unfair dismissal compensation cap entirely. My head has exploded. publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbi...

Easy to say in hindsight but the gov may have had an easier time getting day-one unfair dismissal through the lords if they had already published a fully formed proposal for probationary periods (and edge cases such as spot contracts) rather than treating that as an afterthought.

Facing repeated opposition from the Lords, the government has dropped day one unfair dismissal rights from the Employment Bill. They will go with a six month qualifying period instead, in order to get the Bill passed. www.gov.uk/government/n... #ukemplaw

Students from my kids' school will collectively attempt to row 346km, the length of the Thames, in a single school day on indoor rowing machines, to raise money for Vineyard Community, a local homelessness/poverty/foodbank charity. Please help if you can www.justgiving.com/page/rowthet...

I think some people may be forgetting how the economy actually works.

Latest addition to newspeak dictionary. Political theatre: asking a question at a government press conference. Not political theatre: holding a press conference to declare your intention to “liberate” people from their elected representatives, then handcuffing a senator in front of cameras.

“Unchecked power”? The court IS the check.

Last day of work before Christmas break and I’ve spent several days amending our materials for the new Employment Tribunal Rules.

Oh no, a 53 page list of mainly government amendments to the Employment Right Bill to be debated in committee. 😫https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0011/amend/employment_rights_rm_pbc_1127.pdf

If you want to have the option of using Blue Sky solely to know what employment lawyers are thinking and saying, I've created an employment lawyer list. Pin it and you can have it as an option at the top of your feed: bsky.app/profile/did:...

Hello Bluesky! The UK Labour Law Blog just created an account here! Please share and follow us.

Thought it was about time for a pack specific to employment lawyers. Who have I missed? Feel free to message to be added. go.bsky.app/EThCJXr

It was just an invitation to tweet.

Employment rights Bill #ukemplaw bills.parliament.uk/bills/3737

Lucy Powell MP has just announced to parliament that the first substantial debate on the Employment Rights Bill (ie Second Reading debate) will be on Monday 21st October. #ukemplaw

Higgs v Farmor's School should be starting here any moment: www.youtube.com/@courtofappe... A really important case, legally fascinating & a chance to watch excellent advocacy from @seanjones.org @joanneclementkc.bsky.social Chris Milsom, Sarah Fraser-Butlin KC & Richard O'Dair.

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The Department of Business and Trade explains what is going on. S.6 REULA is not going to be brought into force for the moment, as part of the UK/EU reset.

I’m no Starmer apologist, but the more people on the left moan about him being a red Tory, the more likely we will end up back in the hands of actual tories after 1 term. People seem to have a short collective memory of what actual Tory government was like.

Hello friends. First time posting on here. Rather than say something erudite I’m just going to bemoan the fact that I left it too late and now the ILS Oxford Conference in Cambridge is sold out. I am bereft, it’s literally the highlight of my working year. Yes, I lead a sad life.