Recent legislation & Court Rulings

Explore our analysis of recent legislative changes impacting various sectors. From new environmental regulations to amendments in corporate law, we break down the complexities and offer clear explanations of potential consequences. Stay informed about the laws that govern our society and economy.

 

• The UK government today lost an appeal to block an appeal against the ban imposed on the Palestine Action group in July.

 

• On Wednesday, October 8, the US Senate rejected a bill that would have outlawed (at least under American law) the current US policy of bombing civilian vessels from Caribbean countries in international waters, that Donald Trump accuses of transporting illegal drugs. 

 

• In September, another twist and turn in the legal wranglings in the UK government's attempts to implement it's "one-in, one-out" return migrant policy recently agreed with France, was played out in the High Court as it ruled in favour of the Home Office that none of the legal rights of the Eritrean migrant at subject to the removal order would be breached by his return to France.  This outcome contrasts sharply with the decision reached in a similar case just three days before.  We expect these legal challenges to continue, with their varied outcomes.   

 

• The UK High Court on Tuesday September 16th, granted a last minute injunction that put a temporary block on the government's attempts to deport a 25-year old Eritrean man to France as part of the recent "one-in one-out" deal agreed recently between the two nations.

 

• On July 30, the UK High Court ruled that Palestine Action can challenge the ban which was recently imposed on it by the UK government using terrorism legislation to apply the ban. In explaining the considerations that impacted the ruling Justice Chamberlain pointed out that the ban - as applied by the government "might conflict with rights to free speech".

 

• Ukrainians have recently been demonstrating over the president's decision to change corruption laws. Under Zelensky's proposals, corruption bodies would wow come under political control and therefore lose much of their legal and political independence.  Despite the ongoing war with Russia, many Ukrainians still find this proposal unacceptable

 

• In July, the UK government announced it's intention to table legislation in the current parliament that will significantly change the minimum legitimate age for voters from 18 to 16: - a dramatic 2-year reduction!

 

• Once again, the US Supreme Court has delved Into sensitive politics by making a ruling that will effectively constrain the power of local judges to block some of Donald Trump's presidential orders.   

 

• The lower house of the UK Parliament (House of Commons) has now passed the Assisted Dying Bill, which will now go to the upper house (the House of Lords for confirmation. But is this a genuine triumph for the libertarian values of individual freedom and choice, or is it merely a backdoor to allow significant N.H.S. cop out of the responsibilities for some long-term care, especially of the elderly and recurring ill? The most vulnerable of our society!

 

• In June, we saw examples of the central role played by the judiciary in American democracy. Firstly, a US federal judge ruled that Donald Trump's deployment of national guard troops in California was unconstitutional, and ordered the president to immediately return control of the California National Guard to the governor of the state of California. 

 

• Then, the US Appeals Court temporarily blocked that order of the federal court made just a few hours earlier, thus allowing the president to keep the troops on the ground in California for the time being.

 

• In June, a US Appeals Court's ruling placed a temporary suspension on a federal court's decision earlier on in the week, which had effectively outlawed Donald Trump's recent sweeping trade tariffs.  We await developments on this important case.

 

• In June, the UK High Court first issued an injunction to halt the UK's intended transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, then a few hours later the same court rules that the deal can go ahead! A deal has since been agreed and ratified! 

 

• In May, the Court of International Trade - a federal US court, ruled that the president's so called "Liberation Day" tariff scheme was illegal! If this ruling of the federal court is allowed to stand, it will have huge implications for the US president's trade and economic policy.

 

• The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex! This ruling has huge significance for gender definitions and LGBT rights in the UK!

 

Legal controversies Surrounding Recent Legal or Political Actions

Examine the most pressing legal debates of our time. We provide balanced perspectives on complex cases, ethical dilemmas, and policy disputes. Explore the arguments, consider the implications, and form your own informed opinions on these critical issues.

 

 

• The United states is continuing it's policy of summary justice as part of it's official policy against drug trafficking. This is increasingly been employed on the high sees, and in manner that blatantly flaunts international law. On Monday September 15, the US Air Force was again used to strike and destroy a Venezuelan boat accused by president Trump of transporting illegal drugs, intended for the US.  The act was in clear breach of international law, and could even warrant criminal prosecutions if the suspicions of the president's personal motives for the actions are found to be accurate.  The strike took place in international waters, not US waters or jurisdiction. The strike did not result from "high pursuit".  Three innocent civilians were executed without any opportunity to offer a legal defense.  No real evidence was provided by the US to corroborate the claim of drug trafficking.  There has been no similar strikes against Colombian vessels, despite evidence held by the US DEA that that country is the origin of the majority of illegal drugs into the US.  US president Donald Trump and Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro have been at loggerheads for months. 

 

• In response to widespread protests that had been going on for some time in Nepal against the government, on Friday September 12th, the country's President, Ram Chandra Poudel, dissolved the parliament on the advise of his newly appointed prime minister.  But now major parties are calling for the parliament's reinstatement, describing the dissolution as unconstitutional. On Saturday,a statement, eight parties - including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Maoist Centre - signed a statement calling for parliament's reinstatement, accusing the president as "acting  unconstitutionally."

 

• On September 2nd, the US military carried out a strike on a commercial Venezuelan vessel which it claimed was carrying drugs and drug traffickers.  11 civilians were killed in the strike.  President Donald Trump went on social media to boast about the strike.  Two days later, speaking in Ecuador, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio made it clear that this was now official US policy, threatening that the US will "blow up" foreign crime groups if needed.  But is this legal?  We believe that it is not.  In our view this type of action is not allowed under international law.  There seems to us to be clear violations of humans rights law as well as maritime law during the lethal actions taken on Tuesday. The vessel was clearly not a military vessel.  If the US was convinced that the vessel carried illegal drugs or criminals, it had the option of intercepting the vessel - by force, if necessary, if it tried to enter its waters.  This option was ignored.  There was no report of violence from the vessel to warrant a case of using lethal fire as self defense either. This was clearly summary justice and this is not allowed either in domestic nor international law of progressive societies.

 

• Does the state - the American state in particular, have the authority to determine admission policies of independent universities and tertiary institutions? This legal point will be tested in court as Harvard University files a suit against the Trump administration's block of the university's enrollment of foreign students.

 

• Hungary’s recently proposed Bill which will impose wide restrictions on organization receiving foreign monetary support, has been heavily criticized by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as an attack on the freedom of the press and demonstration of the Hungarian government's unrestricted power, with the Press Advocacy Group calling on European Union (EU) leaders to condemn the bill. 

 

• The English Cricket Board (ECB) follows the suit of the English FA by banning transgender women from cricket in England and Wales, to go alongside their ban from participating in women's football.

 

• Former trans Judge, Victoria McCloud, intends to challenge the recent High Court ruling that based the definition of a woman on biological sex.

 

• The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex! This ruling has huge significance for gender definitions and LGBT rights in the UK!

 

• Does law really matter in the world anymore or are legal rules meaningless when they conflict with the interests and wishes of those who control material resources and political power?