Nick Gibb: Public believe prisoners 'lose right' to vote

A joint committee of Commons and Lords has proposed the idea of giving the vote to prisoners who have been sentenced to less than a year in jail, and to others who are nearing the end of their sentence. Nick Gibb, the Conservative chair of the committee, and Crispin Blunt, the Conservative former prisons minister, talk to presenter James Naughtie.

Click here to download MP3 of interview: BBC Today Programme: Public believe prisoners 'lose right' to vote

The Lords' Tale - fantastic documentary on Lord's Reform in 1999.

Molly Dineen's documentary recalling the events of 1999 when hereditary peers were kicked out of the House of Lords.

Look here for news stories about UK constitutional reform!

The Guardian has a section of its website dedicated to news items about constitutional reform. Definitely worth a look.

ConstitutionUK: Crowdsourcing the UK's Constitution - Event tomorrow evening at the LSE

Crowdsourcing a New UK Constitution: Launch Event 8th October

Tuesday 8 October 2013, 6.30pm – 8pm

Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building

Panel: David Blunkett MP, Richard Gordon QC, Carol Harlow QC, Dr Lea Ypi

Host: Professor Conor Gearty

Join the debate on Twitter. Tweet your thoughts to using the hashtag #ConstitutionUK or follow us @ConstitutionUK

This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. For any queries email events@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7955 6043.

What is Constitution UK?

Constitution UK is a trailblazing project led by the LSE that invites members of the public to participate in, offer advice on and eventually to draft a new UK constitution through crowdsourcing.

The process is simple but key to the success of Constitution UK. Through this blog and other social media you will debate and develop a UK constitution.

We are encouraging participation from across the UK, from all ages and communities. We welcome international input. We want to know who does this better and why.

Keen contributors will be invited to a Constitutional Carnival in April 2014 when a first draft will be thrashed out.

Interesting radio documentary on UK Devolution, and how it has impacted lives of teenagers

The Young Devolutionaries is a BBC 4 radio programme looking at the generation who have grown up under devolution. Now, nine teenagers from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales share their vision of the system that bought them up.

David Cameron has recently denied a Lib Dem claim that Conservatives are blocking further devolution to Wales. He has told the BBC that he is attracted by the idea of the Welsh government being able to raise some of its own budget. 

The Silk Commission is examining the future of devolution in Wales and has recommended some tax-varying powers. It is due to publish a report of recommendations in Spring 2014.

However the UK government has said in the past it does not believe there is a case for radical changes to Welsh devolution. 

 

The Case of Abu Qatada and the European Convention on Human Rights

Abu Qatada

One of the highest profile disputes about human rights in recent years has been the saga of the prisoners' right to vote. The second has been the deportation (expulsion from the UK) of Abu Qatada. This importance case was solved in July 2013 but why is it such an important case for Parliament Sovereignty?

Abu Qatada arrived in the UK on a forged U.A.E passport in 1993. 

In April 1999 a court in Jordan convicted Qatada, in his absence, of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in the country. 

Over subsequent years he made speeches advocating the killing of Jews, and other radical sermons. 

In August 2005, Qatada was taking into policy custody pending extradition (forced expulsion) to Jordan to stand trial there. 

In April 2008, three appeal court judges halt his deportation, ruling that his conviction for terrorism in 1999 was based on evidence gathered torture. 

In February 2009, the Law Lords (highest judges in the UK) rule that Qatada could be deported to Jordan. 

The European Court of Human Rights blocked the deportation in January 2012 because of the risk of him being put on trial based on torture-tainted evidence.  

In April 2012 a fresh attempt is made to deport him by the government, but the European Court of Human Rights halts the deportation. 

Theresa May continues to attempt to deport Qatada, but again in March 2013, judges reject her attempts. The Court of appeal turns down May's attempt to take the case to the Supreme Court in the UK. 

In June 2013, Jordan and Britain sign a Treaty of 'mutual assistance' which says that Qatada will not be tried using evidence obtained through torture. He is deported on 7 July 2013. 

Legal costs of attempting to deport him reached £1.7 million since 2005. 

A good example of the politicisation of the judiciary?

Judicial Review of Police requests for DNA samples from suspects fails

An ex-prisoner has lost a legal challenge at the High Court against a request by police for him to provide DNA samples.

The legal challenge or 'judicial review' is a means by which the courts can supervise bodies which exercise public functions to ensure that they are acting both lawfully and fairly.

Under Operation Nutmeg, which runs in England and Wales, DNA has been gathered from people jailed for serious crimes before routine collection.

R - who was jailed for manslaughter in the 1980s but after his release was in trouble for a lesser, non violent offence - argued that he had turned his life around since 2000.

The police force contacted him in March and delivered a letter which told him that because he had a previous conviction for a serious offence he was being asked to give the officer a DNA sample.

The letter went on to say that if he chose not to, he would be required to attend a police station within seven days and if he failed to do that he could be liable to arrest.

The court's power of judicial review has emerged primarily from case law, with judges seemingly giving themselves discretion to hold the public bodies accountable.

This has not been without controversy since many people consider that unelected judges should not get in the way of publicly elected decisions.

The client believed his human rights had been breached because he had a right to a private life.

Lord Justice Pitchford at the High Court said that the request was both "lawful and proportionate".

Do you agree?

Two interesting articles on Judicial Review in the UK

'Judicial review process to be made tougher' - The Daily Telegraph, July 2013

The Ministry of Justice is to make it tougher for judicial reviews to be brought to court, following concerns that the procedure is being abused by pressure groups and campaigners.

'Judicial review is increasingly essential, judges warn government' - The Guardian, Feb 2013

British Government and the Constitution - A Blog

Worth a quick peak at Professor Adam Tomkins's blog: http://britgovcon.wordpress.com/ on the subject of British Government and the Constitution. Has many posts on Constitutional Reform, Judicial Review, Human Rights and Civil Liberties.