Clare’s Law: a simple solution, or more confusion?
“The news this morning that ‘Clare’s Law’, by which according to the BBC ‘enables women to check the police record of a new boyfriend’ will be expanded to cover the whole of England and Wales is one that fills me with unease.” Paul Bernal wonders whether the expansion of Clare’s Law is about headline-grabbing or something that can really help.
Labour Conference: Please sir, will you save Legal Aid?
“The reason I’m on the fence between Labour and the Greens at the moment can largely be summed up in one word: justice.” Law Geek reviews the discussions on Legal Aid and criminal justice policy at this year’s Labour Conference.
Go home, Superman!
“Would the Home Office dare do this to the Man of Steel? After all, he is an illegal alien.” @Super__Cyan challenges how the Home Office is presenting immigration cases.
Declining investment in research threatens to undermine evidence-based policymaking
The Government claims to be investing in evidence to improve policymaking - yet many departments are reducing their investment in research. The risk is that public policy is increasingly informed by partisan or partial ‘research’ - or in some cases, no research at all.
Woolwich and the case against the Snoopers’ Charter!
“What we need isn’t the clumsy bludgeon of universal surveillance – we need the sharp rapier of targeted and intelligent surveillance.” Paul Bernal explains why the tragic and hideous events of Woolwich do not make the case for the Snoopers’ Charter - indeed, precisely the opposite.
Could do better - MUCH better
“In twelve months it seems that the Home Secretary has spent a considerable amount of time talking to her counterparts but having little or no impact. Her other action was to write to someone else and ask them to deal with it locally.” Nathan Constable argues that if police are required to deal with mental health issues then this needs legislative change and not inaction from the Government.
The Snoopers’ Charter: we need a new consultation
The Communications Data Bill – more commonly (and fairly accurately) known as the ‘Snoopers’ Charter’ is due to re-emerge at any moment. We have been expecting it for some time – and yet have seen nothing official, and there has been no sign of a proper public consultation on the subject. That, to me, is […]
90% of voters admit they have no idea who local commissioner is
Do you remember the main reason why PCCs were introduced? Go on, do you? You know, it was that idea that Police Authorities were unknown to the public and were the faceless governance of the police service. A single elected figurehead would change all that! And then the Home Office was given the task of […]
And things were going so well…….
I have written previously about the Curse of the Home Office that has done for the reputations of many Home Secretaries. Theresa May has so far trodden a fairly sure path, and her stock is said be high with her party. Then today she has placed a piece in (inevitably) the Mail on Sunday in which she makes intemperate […]
Reform or perform?
“Not once – not once – has anyone talked about the actual role the police play in society or about the volume or variety of work they undertake.” Nathan Constable argues that the government’s current approach to police reform is misguided and ideological and should instead focus on reforming the work and role of the police service.