Government, the police and intelligence services are too easily given sweeping powers that they too often abuse
Jenny works with campaigners to defend our civil liberties
Read on for her latest posts on this topic
It is obvious that the Bill hugely expands the state’s ability to authorise criminal conduct and grant legal immunity to criminals. Surely the Government understand this and can see that it is wrong to try to legislate like this.
Continue reading “Covert Human Intelligence Sources: Immunity from crime for criminals and no recourse to justice for victims”
Last Friday the Government released something late – which is their way of hiding things that they think will be unpopular – namely, that they will be sharing data with the police… Continue reading “HMG sharing Test and Trace data with the police”
In the words of Adam Wagner, a professor of law
“One of the things this crisis has brought home to me is how illiberal outcomes are inevitable when hugely important decisions are made by a small group in secret and without parliamentary scrutiny. Biases and personal preferences of those in the room are inevitably amplified”. Continue reading “Covid regulations from a government that doesn’t listen and learn”
I said to the House: My Lords, last year the Government were found to have acted unlawfully in selling to Saudi Arabia Continue reading “Why is the government selling arms to Saudi Arabia again?”
Continue reading “Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination Bill Report Stage Day 2”
First day of the Report Stage of the Immigration and Social Security (EU Withdrawal) Bill…
Continue reading “Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill”
Yesterday, the Lords debated the Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Bill. The government missed their legal deadline for carrying out a review of Prevent, their scheme for dealing with extremism. Jenny has repeatedly called for Prevent to be replaced by a more neutral approach to safeguarding the vulnerable. Continue reading “Will there ever be a review of Prevent?”
One of the joys of being a peer is being able to give a completely fresh view of things that disrupts the accepted dialogue about a topic. Here I am raising objections to the Investigatory Power Bill at a meeting in the Grand Committee
See video of my Parliamentary question here
The government have introduced another piece of legislation that will potentially give Ministers the power to make up laws? The Private International Law Bill appears to give Ministers the ability to make up new laws when seeking resolutions in disputes between individual and companies. I’ve been questioning the Minister about their intention to attach criminal fines and imprisonment to civil disputes. It is wrong in principle, for any secondary legislation to extend the provisions and powers in primary legislation. It becomes very dangerous if Ministers are doing this and making criminals of people.
My Lords, it came as no surprise to me that there was nothing to delight my soul in the Government’s programme. For example, a fair justice system that keeps people safe takes more than a royal commission; it takes resources. When budgets have been cut by one-third, the system does not function well and justice suffers. I hope that the royal commission will examine the impact of austerity on fairness and access to justice. I also question any attempt to impose longer sentences when we are failing to deal with the care and rehabilitation of the large number of people already in the system. The probation service and the Prison Service are unable to cope properly with the existing numbers. If you add to that number, you are adding to those pressures and problems. Continue reading “Queen Speech: my response to the crime and justice sections”
