31 May 2019
What will happen next in the prosecution of Boris Johnson?
Rarely can the saying that a week is a long time in politics have been more true than in the case of Boris Johnson. The telescoped timetable for the election of the next Conservative leader, which was announced last week, clearly favoured him, given the large lead he has over his closest rivals. But the decision of District Judge Margot Colman has turned that advantage on its head. For there is no realistic chance that the prosecution against Johnson can be despatched before Conservative MPs decide on the two candidates to go before the membership.
30 May 2019
‘World-leading’ Modern Slavery Act 2015: review confirms more to be done
The Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 commenced in July 2018 with a remit to consider specific provisions of the Act: the role of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner; transparency in supply chains; Independent Child Trafficking Advocates; and the legal application of the act. The final report was published in May 2019. This follows a series of interim reports on the four themes.
8 May 2019
Coming soon: the Domestic Abuse Bill
On 21 January 2019, the draft Domestic Abuse Bill (“the Bill”) was published by the Government. The stated aim of the Bill is to protect and support victims and their families, pursue and deter offenders and improve the performance of local agencies and services in instances of domestic abuse. It is of relevance to both criminal and family law practitioners.
25 April 2019
On the cliff edge: Do we need formal sentencing guidelines for ‘young adults’?
Most of us remember our 18th birthday. Finally you are old enough to do a whole list of activities which were previously prohibited – you can vote, buy alcohol, open your own bank account, gamble or even get that tattoo you always wanted. On top of this, you are now deemed an ‘adult’ in the eyes of the law.
12 March 2019
Estate agents come under the HMRC spotlight
On 4 March, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) announced that they had imposed a £215,000 fine on Countrywide estate agents for failing to register the company as required under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. This announcement was swiftly followed by the publication of the Treasury Committee report on economic crime on 8 March, where estate agents came in for stinging criticism for failing to have proper regard to money laundering compliance and risk assessment in their dealings.
