The Times we live in…. bring back hanging? Dear gawd….. whatever next?

#Hackgate continues with coverage of possible computer hacking in the papers this morning.  Yesterday Christopher Jefferies, the man ‘monstered’ in some tabloids as the suspect in the Yates murder, has won substantial damages from eight newspapers and The Lord Chief Justice has handed down a very critical judgment holding The Mirror and The Sun in [...]

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#WithoutPrejudice 10: Leveson Inquiry – UKSC ‘Star Wars’ judgment – Legal journalism and blogging – Contempt of Court – Vacancies in Supreme Court

Listen to the podcast Useful links Joshua Rozenberg: Who will be the two new supreme court judges? Leveson Inquiry | Lord Justice Leveson statement *** I’d like to thank Cassons For Counsel, David Phillips & Partners Solicitors, Inksters Solicitors,  Iken, LBC Wise Counsel, Carrs Solicitors and Cellmark for sponsoring the podcast  – and the free student [...]

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Postcard from The Staterooms: Lawyers giving us a ‘good name’? – and a UK Education onslaught by News Corporation?

It has been a while since I wrote a ‘Postcard’… so this evening, sitting at my post overlooking The Thames at Battersea, I thought a non-structured and, possibly random, review of law, oddities and musings would be appropriate as the silly season begins. Keep marches away from the Ritz, says QC  (The Independent i newspaper) [...]

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A Day in the life of Chancellor Osbore…..

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Thoughts on Hari….plagiarism and the pursuit by the pack a la Lord of The Flies

I read Jack of Kent’s blog post…. 1. Hari is not young.  He knew what he was doing and the score. Plagiarism is wrong. 2.  I personally give little thought to the reputation of the journalists I read – with a few exceptions.  I am more interested in the content. Most / Many journalists have [...]

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Rive Gauche: Cameron appoints judge to head inquiry with ‘links’ to Murdochs? How bizarre is that?

Two stories have caught my eye overnight…both from The Telegraph… George Osborne had dinner with Rupert Murdoch two weeks before BSkyB bid decision The Telegraph: The Chancellor, George Osborne, flew to New York and had dinner with Rupert Murdoch two weeks before the media regulator was due to decide on whether to approve his takeover [...]

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#WithoutPrejudice Special podcast: David Allen Green on The Myler/Crone conflict with Murdoch evidence et al

The Independent reports today…. “A claim that James Murdoch gave misleading evidence to a Commons committee is to be referred to Scotland Yard, a Labour MP said today. Tom Watson said he would be contacting Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers – who is leading the phone-hacking investigation – about the claim made by former News [...]

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Breaking: Gotcha!? – King Lear to appear before Select Committee

I have read Shakespeare’s  King Lear several times. On a desert island it might not be my first choice of a ripping read – but many will have seen surreal and serendipitous resemblances to the performance of Murdoch Snr and Murdoch Jnr at yesterday’s ‘tour de force’ before the Culture Select Committee.  It is amazing [...]

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#Hackedoff – Due process will now proceed…as will the Leveson Inquiry

“At least we have statements on the record” says John Whittingdale MP, Chair of The Culture Committee, today… and the rest will be in the press… so I have nothing to add. Due process will now proceed. Now… time for a few days away… doing art and not covering law or matters related to law [...]

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#WithoutPrejudice Special podcast: Tom Harris MP on #Hackgate et al…

Today I am talking to Tom Harris MP, Glasgow South’s Labour member at Westminster,  to shed some light on the workings of Select Committees and the extraordinary resignations and arrests in relation to the News International scandal. * The work and powers of Select Committees *The need for care to avoid prejudicing the inquiry and [...]

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Law Review Guest Post: The Custody Sgt on drink driving…..and personal responsibility

BY The Custody Sgt – a fellow blogger If we are to believe in stereotypes then the average customer stood at a custody charge desk is a miscreant of disreputable character, possibly wearing a black and white hooped top and carrying a swag bag? Events this weekend both nationally and locally for me indicate the [...]

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F*ckART…. a dead shark isn’t art… nor ‘Stuckart’… but it is topical at least?

By the way… if you didn’t know… this might be of interest… STUCKISM “Eddie Saunders caught a shark in 1989 and displayed it in his J.D. Electrical Supplies shop in Shoreditch, London (i.e. two years before Damien Hirst’s shark, a.k.a. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living), but Eddie’s shark received [...]

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Breaking News: Matt Muttley DEAD!! – Dr Erasmus Strangelove takes over as CEO, Muttley Dastardly LLP

STATEMENT FROM THE DESK OF DR ERASMUS STRANGELOVE, CEO AND SENIOR PARTNER It is with deep regret, see above, that I announce the death of Matt Muttley.  I have known Matt for many years  Together, we built profits, capital reserves and tax efficient schemes only dreamed of in some law firms.  Matt Muttley, inspired by [...]

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Law Review: Parting is such sweet sorrow says Murdoch…to Rebekah “Get thee to a nunnery”

Following the news today… Murdoch holding his head in his hands while apologising to the Dowler family and the resignation of Rebekah Brooks, I thought it might be time to return to look at what is happening in other law stories. (It was, of course, Shakespeare who coined the Parting and nunnery quotes!) RollonFriday has [...]

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#WithoutPrejudice 9: Hacking / NoTW – Criminal offences in #Hackedoff – Powers of Select Committees – Assange Case

Listen to the podcast   I talk to US lawyer, Peter Friedman, Of Counsel at Hull McGuire PC,  about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the potential civil and criminal liability for News Corporation if the FBI investigation reveals any wrongdoing.   Listen to the podcast *** I’d like to thank David Phillips & Partners [...]

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Law Review: Coming up tomorrow on #WithoutPrejudice podcasts

A truly extraordinary performance by Andy Hayman – who was, before nipping off to work for News International two months after leaving the Metropolitan Police,  responsible for the safety of our realm and counter-terrorism. he did not say… “You slaaaag..” but he certainly gave a good impression of his suitability to appear in a re-make [...]

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And we lead the world…as the revelations / revulsion(s) continue on #NoTW etc etc

It would appear that the latest (of many more to come?) revelation involves Royal Protection Squad offciers flogging info to #NoTW Pesto has the story: Police officer ‘sold royal family contact details’ Meanwhile…. despite DPM Clegg’s desire for Murdoch to ‘be a good chap’ and ‘do the decent’ thing by withdrawing his bid for BSkYB… [...]

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Law Review: A few thoughts on the OFCOM ‘Fit and proper person’ test re BSkyB

1. There is little in the way of hard law on the ‘fit and proper person’ test in relation to OfCom’s duties under  the Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996 section 3(3) Ofcom: (a) “shall not grant a licence to any person unless satisfied that the person is “a fit and proper person to hold [...]

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Breaking NewsInternational: Murdoch flies to Britain to appear on Mastermind

Rather more sensible analysis of Mr Murdoch’s difficulties in the #WithoutPrejudice podcast below…… It seems only appropriate…. in the light of the closure of The News of The Screws for Pete n Dud to say goodbye… Dudley Moore and Peter Cook Sing “Goodbye” Although.. this… from Pete n Dud… may be more appropriate.. : (Derek [...]

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#WithoutPrejudice Special podcast: News of The World – Judicial Inquiry – The law and the commercial ‘real politik’

Today I talk to Carl Gardner and David Allen Green about the extraordinary events surrounding the hacking of mobile phones which led yesterday to the closure of The News of The World, a debate in parliament and the setting up of two inquiries – one judge led.  We look at why Jeremy Hunt and the [...]

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