January Opinion Article
An opinion by Sophia Gonella about whether the current political and economic commitments made to fight climate change are sufficient and realistic.
Illinois effects one of the strongest legal weed rollouts among US states to date
Illinois’ law legalizing the use of recreational marijuana came into force at the beginning of 2020. Three weeks in, analysts are calling it a major success.
France: a state of civil unrest
The French political system is in a state of paralysis. Macron’s proposed pension reforms have been met with fierce civil unrest. The strike has now entered into its second month, with little sign of slowing down, what must he do to restore stability in the capital?
Ethical veganism declared a philosophical belief
Following a tribunal hearing of the case of Casamitjana v League Against Cruel Sports, ethical veganism has been declared as a philosophical belief, which should be protected from discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
The Gambia v Myanmar: contemporary genocide?
Following widespread persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, The Gambia has brought a case before the ICJ alleging that Myanmar is in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
December Opinion Article
AN OPINION BY MATTHEW CHAN ABOUT WHETHER VIOLENCE IS EVER JUSTIFIABLE IN A LEGAL SYSTEM, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HONG KONG PROTESTS.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 raises several constitutional questions by making religion a criterion for granting citizenship to certain religious minorities from some of INdia’s neighbouring countries.
Legal intervention in the USA’s opioid crisis
Litigation relating to the USA’s opioid crisis continues in an attempt to hold pharmaceutical companies to account. In light of the recent case brought by the State of Arizona, it is crucial to consider the extent of the role played by courts in allotting culpability.
London Bridge: a tragedy that could have been avoided?
With the tragic death of Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt, could more have been done under the existing legal framework to prevent this from happening? Usman Khan had previously been sentenced in 2012 for terrorism offences and committed the attack while on automatic release.
The Draft Environmental Bill is simply not enough
The Draft Environmental Bill has the potential to be an improvement on the environmental commitments currently stipulated by the EU. However, the vagueness of its language and the shortcomings of the OEP suggest that it has yet a lot of ground to travel before it can fulfill the promises made by the Government of a bill that truly speaks for the future.
The growing defence of 'rough sex' and its effect on the normalisation of violence against women
The chilling reality of our criminal justice system that is the conventionalisation of misogynistic attitudes has led male defendants to increasingly ask juries to believe that their partners asked for their death by engaging in rough sex.
The world's first case on automatic facial recognition by police: what does the High Court say?
For the past year, the South Wales and Met Police have been trialing new technology called Automatic Facial Recognition Locate. The High Court considers its implications for personal rights and the future of the legal system.
The youth criminal system is in dire need of reform
With criminal cases involving children taking 40% longer from offence to completion today than in 2010, England’s Children’s Commissioner has called for reform of the system amid concerns that the delays are detrimental to access to justice and rehabilitation.
Good Work Plan: legislative employment reform?
The UK Government has now established a programme to reform the labour market in its current form to address some of the major issues flagged up in responses to a number of consultations in October.
Brexit and the Benn Act: will the PM adhere to it?
Parliament passed the Benn Act to ensure that, should Boris Johnson fail to secure a Brexit deal by 19th October, he is obliged to send a letter to the EU to ask for an article 50 extension until the 31st January. What does this mean for the British PM?
Sainsbury's-Asda Merger: what is currently happening?
The possible merger between Sainsbury’s and Asda would be one of the biggest in the UK retail industry. The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has initiated an extensive competitive assessment as to the potential implications of the tie-up between the two supermarket chains.
Challenging Northern Ireland’s abortion laws
The Abortion Act 1967 arguably liberalised Britain but was never extended to Northern Ireland.
Brexit: a constitutional crisis
May’s Brexit deal comes crashing down after the largest defeats in history with a majority of 230 votes against.