High Court Rules Humanist Marriages Not Legally Recognised – Yet
Six UK couples have lost a landmark challenge over the legal recognition of humanist marriages. The High Court found that, despite constituting “discrimination”, humanist weddings are not legally recognised in the same way as religious ceremonies, but stopped short of saying the government is acting illegally. Under current law, couples marrying in a humanist ceremony […]
P2B Regulation Takes Effect in EU & UK
Online platforms and search engines are now operating under new rules designed to promote fairness and transparency for their business users. The Platform to Business Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 (P2B Regulation) took effect in the UK and EU member states on 12 July 2020. The new rules apply to online intermediation services and search engines based […]
UK Unveils New Hong Kong BNO Visa
The UK is opening a new immigration route that will allow British National (Overseas) citizens from Hong Kong to come to the UK to live, work or study and will offer a path to British citizenship. The Hong Kong BN(O) visa will be available from January 2021 to Hong Kong’s British National (Overseas) passport holders […]
Landlord ‘No DSS’ Bans Ruled Unlawful & Discriminatory
A court in England has ruled that blanket bans on letting properties to people claiming housing benefits are unlawful, discriminatory and contrary to equality laws. The decision relates to the case of a single mother of two who became homeless after a letting agent refused to rent a property to her. She had been looking […]
MPs Back Immigration Bill & End of EU Free Movement
MPs have voted in favour of new legislation that will bring EU free movement to an end. Passing the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill is a critical phase in the government’s plan to introduce a new points-based immigration system for Britain from 2021. The Bill was approved at third reading by 342 […]
Trial By Jury Could Be Abolished In Some Cases As Courts Address Backlog
Jury trials could be temporarily abolished within a matter of weeks under new legislation, according to suggestions from Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland QC. The Lord Chancellor told MPs on the justice select committee that the measure was under ‘serious consideration’ as a potential solution to address the mounting backlog in criminal cases. All jury trials […]
Rebekah Vardy Brings Defamation Claim Against Coleen Rooney
Rebekah Vardy has issued legal proceedings against Coleen Rooney for libel. The dispute centres on what has become known as the ‘Wagatha Christie’ scandal, the two women’s highly public social media fall-out. In October 2019, Rooney took to Twitter to accuse Vardy of leaking personal information about her to the Sun newspaper, with stories that […]
Licensing Law Changes Expected To Boost Crisis Recovery
Pubs, restaurants and cafes are expected to be allowed to provide food and drink outdoors in a change to licensing laws designed to support businesses through the coronavirus crisis. The changes would see every pub, bar and restaurant automatically given permission to serve alcohol for people to drink on the pavement and in the street. […]
Lockdown Legal Challenge Set For High Court
A crowdfunded legal challenge to the government’s lockdown policy will be heard at the High Court on 2 July. A Crowdjustice campaign, led by businessman Simon Dolan, has to date raised more than £182,000, with almost 5,500 people having donated to fund legal action against the government over ‘unlawful’ lockdown measures. The High Court will […]
No-Fault Divorces Set To Start From Autumn 2021
No-fault divorces are set to become available to divorcing couples from autumn 2021. The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill was backed by 231 MPs against 16 in a House of Commons vote on 8th June 2020, and concluded its passage through the House of Commons yesterday on 17th June 2020. The Bill will now be […]
Supreme Court Rules Against Visa & Mastercard Over Swipe Fees
Two of the world’s largest credit card companies have suffered another defeat in a long-running legal dispute with supermarket chains over interchange fees. The UK’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc., affirming a lower court ruling that the mandated payments restricted competition. The Court was unanimous in upholding the decision […]
New Law Gives Local Authorities Powers To Fine Drivers £130 For Using Cycle Lanes
Drivers can be fined up to £130 for using cycle lanes, under a new law taking effect on 22 June 2020. The new powers, announced by the Cycling Minister Chris Heaton-Harris on 10 June, will see local authorities able to rely on CCTV to issue penalty charge notices to motorists breaking the rules. This includes […]
New Deal Expected To Simplify & Speed Up Planning Process
MPs are said to be considering the introduction of new development zones with relaxed rules and further permitted development (PD) rights as part of a ‘New Deal’ for planning. In a publication launched by the Policy Exchange think tank, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick laid out a vision to “rethink planning” and “speed up and simplify […]
Sunday Trading Rules May Be Relaxed for Supermarkets
Supermarkets may soon be able to open for longer hours under government plans to help boost the post-lockdown economy. Under current rules, supermarkets in England and Wales are only permitted to trade for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm. However, new legislation is being drafted which would suspend the current Sunday Trading laws for […]
Daughter Wins Legal Challenge To Invalidate Mother’s Will
A daughter has successfully challenged her mother’s will in the High Court, giving her a share of the £325,000 inheritance. The deceased, Jean Clitheroe, had left her entire estate to her son, John, leaving nothing to her daughter, Susan Bond. Prior to her death in 2017, Mrs Clitheroe had drafted versions of her will in […]
Late Author’s Family Win Back Watership Down IP Rights
The family of the late Richard Adams have been awarded the rights to the author’s novel Watership Down. The High Court has ruled found in favour of Watership Downs Enterprises, the estate and family of Adams, against the US director of the 1978 animation, Martin Rosen. Rosen, who owned the motion picture rights to Watership […]
Court Enforces Lower PI Settlement Accepted By Claimant In Error
A personal injury claimant who mistakenly settled for one-tenth of the amount they intended has been told by a court they must accept the outcome of the error. The ruling in Mahoney v Royal Mail at Truro County Court held that the common law doctrine of mistake does not apply to so-called ‘Portal claims’. Since […]
CMA Calls For Emergency Legislation To Pursue Opportunist Retailers
The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has called for the UK Government to introduce new emergency legislation to tackle price gouging tactics by companies profiteering from the pandemic. Under current laws, the competition watchdog is unable to pursue retailers for heavily inflating prices of products in response to the virus. The CMA is now asking […]
All Charges Under Coronavirus Act Were Unlawful
Britain’s most senior police officer has apologised after it was revealed every person prosecuted under the Coronavirus Act had been unlawfully charged. Cases against all 44 individuals charged under the new law have now been withdrawn, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A further 12 people who were charged under the second piece of […]
Housing Market Reopens After Lockdown Restrictions Eased
The housing market in England has been reopened, with home moves and property viewings and home moves now permitted following changes to coronavirus restrictions. Following a change to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, which had restricted travel during the crisis, potential homebuyers and renters are now legally permitted to visit estate agents […]