Law and Lawyers

 

The Attorney-General Lord Hermer KC delivered the Harry Street Lecture at Manchester University. The text has been published - HERE.

He opened by saying - "I want to use my time this evening to address two closely connected themes: first, I want to talk about the enduring importance of what has come to be known as the international rules-based order – I want to describe the benefits that it brings to this country and the world at large; and secondly, I want to exemplify that argument by looking in particular at how the European Convention on Human Rights time and time again serves the interests of ordinary people, protecting and vindicating our hard won rights."

The Lecture was delivered shortly after the President of the USA, together with the Prime Minister of Israel, decided to use military force against Iran. There are serious questions regarding the legality of this action.  

Professor Harry Street (1919 - 1984) - was well-known for his text Street on Torts which reached its 16th edition in May 2021

A major constitutional change came about this week with the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill receiving Royal Assent and becoming the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act. The Act removes the remaining connection between hereditary peerage and membership of the House of Lords; makes provision about resignation from the House of Lords; and abolishes the jurisdiction of the House of Lords in relation to claims to hereditary peerages.

This reform was a Labour Party manifesto commitment.

The Act will come into effect at the end of this session of Parliament, after which no peer will be a member of the House of Lords on the basis of their hereditary peerage.

See the Government announcement  which contains the following -

 

The UK Covid 19 Inquiry has published its third report following its investigation into ‘the Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the healthcare systems of the United Kingdom.’ 

The report examines the governmental and societal response to Covid-19 as well as dissecting the impact that the pandemic had on healthcare systems, patients and healthcare workers. 

The reports issued to date may be seen HERE. The Module 3 report is HERE together with a summary.

The report comments that - "The Chair expects that all recommendations are acted upon and implemented within  the time frames set out in the recommendations. The Inquiry will monitor the  implementation of the recommendations during its lifetime."

Response from the government is awaited.

The Crime and Policing Bill has passed the House of Commons and is now in its late stages before the House of Lords. 

It is a government Bill sponsored by the Home Office and covers a vast array of topics. The Bill has 16 Parts amounting to 220 clauses and a further 23 Schedules. The outpouring of criminal justice legislation is relentless and unending.

For the moment, I just wish to note Clause 208.

This is a short clause but will alter the law in a major way -

NOTE: The Bill received Royal Assent on 18 March 2026

All that remains for the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is the formality of Royal Assent and the bill then becomes an Act of Parliament. 

This is a Bill to - 'remove the remaining connection between hereditary peerage and membership of the House of Lords; to make provision about resignation from the House of Lords; to abolish the jurisdiction of the House of Lords in relation to claims to hereditary peerages; and for connected purposes.'

Hence, hereditary peerages are NOT being abolished. 

The House of Lords Act 1999 removed most hereditary peers from the House of Lords but 90 (plus the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain) were permitted to remain (see section 2). The Hereditary Peers Bill removes this exception. The Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain will continue to have ceremonial functions but will not be entitled to sit in the House and vote.

The removal from the House of the remaining hereditary peers was included in the 2024 Labour Party manifesto. 

Whilst birth

'Again and again, throughout our legal history, the wisdom and capacity of juries have been repeatedly vindicated every time they have been analysed, tested or sought to be examined by those who research these matters' - Sir Geoffrey Cox KC MP

Tuesday 10 March 2026 - House of Commons. The government's Courts and Tribunals Bill passed second reading in the House of Commons. The voting was 304 to 203.  Ten Labour MPs voted against the Bill.

The debate may be read at Hansard 10 March.

This previous post looked at the Bill in greater detail.

The Bill will now proceed to Committee Stage and opponents of the Bill (including some who chose to abstain at second reading) hope to secure amendments. 

In summary, the Bill 

On 5 March 1946 - at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri - Winston Churchill delivered his famous speech - The Sinews of Peace. 

Churchill spoke of a "special relationship" between the United States of America and, as he phrased it, "the British Commonwealth and Empire." 

He also spoke of an "Iron Curtain" which had descended across Europe from  "Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic."

Churchill urged adherence to the United Nations Charter which, at the time of the speech, had been in force less than 5 months. 

80 years later, the UN continues