Anti-Defamation Campaign in Defence of Disability Rights
NOW PASSING STEALTHILY: A Bill allowing judges to exclude lawyers, press, public and even litigants in their own cases from civil hearings
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The Special Advocates’ latest analysis, as submitted to the JCHR: They say,as they have all along, that there is “no compelling justification for the proposals in Part 2 of the Bill has been made out, notwithstanding the Government’s assertions to the contrary“.
“People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both”
The Justice and Security Bill, which will allow secret ‘closed material’ hearings to take place in civil trials, has been quietly (almost too quietly) making its way through Parliament. The Bill will allow judges to exclude lawyers, press, the public and even litigants in their own cases from civil hearings which involve national security.
Kafkaesque is a term which is used in practically every critical article about law ever written. But I have read The Trial (I really have!), and the effect of these proposals are not too far from that.
The key development is that many of the amendments forced through in the House of Lords under the leadership of Lord Pannick have been reversed by the Government.
We have a full update coming later on the progress of the Bill, but I thought that in the mean time I would highlight a few up to date resources and developments:
This Parliamentary briefing by Alexander Horne is excellent as usual. A great starting point for anyone who wants to know about the bill and its progress through Parliament.
The Special Advocates’ latest analysis, as submitted to the JCHR: They say,as they have all along, that there is “no compelling justification for the proposals in Part 2 of the Bill has been made out, notwithstanding the Government’s assertions to the contrary“.
703 lawyers (including me) signed a petition organised by Liberty against the proposals – you can read the full list here and more coverage here.
Here is Robert Buckland MP, a former barrister, defending the Bill on Conservative Home. It was only on reading this article that I discovered that there is aConservative Party Human Rights Commission, and has been since 2005. That might sound a bit surprising given how little love there seems to be for human rights in the Tory party generally and the cabinet specifically. The mystery is solved on the ‘about’ page: the Human Rights Commission only focuses on international human rights. On that, read this.
More later. For now… shhh.
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I strongly oppose the Government’s plan in the Justice and Security Bill to extend the controversial Closed Material Procedures (CMP) to ordinary civil law cases and oust the court’s jurisdiction to hear certain Norwich Pharmacal applications for disclosure.
As a lawyer, I believe the changes set out in the Justice and Security Bill are contrary to the Rule of Law and should not be brought into force.
The plans for secret courts erode core principles of our civil justice system including the right to a fairtrial, equality of arms and open justice.
They will fatally undermine the court room as an independent and objective forum in which allegations of wrongdoing can be fairly tested and where the Government can be transparently held to account.
I urge you to abandon these dangerous and unnecessary plans.
Robin Allen QC Alex Bailin QC David Blunt QC Paul Bogan QC Paul Bowen QC Joel Donovan QC Brendan Finucane QC Michael Fordham QC David Friedman QC Mark George QC Stephen Grosz QC John Hendy QC Javan Herberg QC Richard Hermer QC Patricia Hitchcock QC3 Sir Jeffrey Jowell QC Helena Kennedy QC Stephen Kenny QC Judy Khan QC Ian Macdonald QC Michael Mansfield QC Jeremy Morgan QC Helen Mountfield QC Gordon Nardell QC Ali Naseem Bajwa QC Andrew Neish QC Tim Otty QC Ian Peddie QC Tony Peto QC Karen Quinlivan QC Dinah Rose QC Philippe Sands QC Timothy Scott QC Craig Sephton QC Hugh Southey QC Jemima Stratford QC Anthony Temple QC Nigel Tozzi QC Nicholas Vineall QC Pete Weatherby QC Victoria Abrahams Elkan Abrahamson Keren Adams Raghib Ahsan James Aitken Clare Algar Muhammad Ali Nicoleta Alistari Les Allamby Francesca Allen Tamsin Allen Trevor Allsopp Dr Paul Anderson William Andrew Lynch Kerry Anne Currie 4 Elizabeth Arndt Stephanie Atkins Etienne Attala Sean Aughey Helen Avis Brigid Baillie Tom Baker Catharine Barbour Derek Barnett Ruth Barry Christopher Barton Majida Bashir Justin Bates Marion Batten Jamie Beagent John Beckley Geoff Bell Andrew Benson Christine Benson Ryan Bestford Camilla Bethell Miranda Bevan Raju Bhatt Jacob Bindman Iain Birrell Thomas Blacker Barry Bond Leah Booker Richard Booth Mischa Borris Michelle Bother Keshina Bouri Margaret Bowden Dermot Bowes LLB Professor Bill Bowring Anna Boxall Ryan Bradshaw Nicola Braganza Martin Brennan Aneurin Brewer 5 Stephen Broadhurst David Brock Nick Brown Susan Bryant Andrew Buchan Carl Buckley Salima Budhani Ben Bundock Jude Bunting Charlie Burnett Simon Burrows Miranda Butler Andrew Byles Marc Callcutt Brenda Campbell Robert Campbell Sarah Campbell David Campion Paul Canter Elizabeth Cape Daniel Carey Jules Carey Emily Carter Emily Carter-Birch Linda Cassidy Stephen Cavalier Eleanor Cawte Greg Ceallaigh AK Ceesay Raj Chada Geoff Chang Salim Chaudhry Jeanette Cheah Louise Christian Neil Christian Doug Christie Daniel Clarke Sara Clarke Nicholas Clay James Clayton 6 Tom Cleaver Jane Clemetson Tony Clewes Andre Clovis Jocelyn Cockburn Barbara Cohen Allyson Colby Anita Coles Karen Combe Ciaran Conaghan Julian Coningham Cat Connor Ben Cooper Danielle Cooper Jonathan Cooper Brian Corlett Mary Cowe Ann Coyle Kat Craig Katharina Crinson Benjamin Croft Nicholas Cropp Nicky Cross Anna Crowther Liam Curren Helen Curtis Peter Daly Russell Dann Deba Das Debaleena Dasgupta Elizabeth Davey Barbara Davidson Jonathan Davidson Greg Davies Cyrilia Davies Rebecca Davis Professor Fiona de Londras Miriam de Souza Estelle Dehon Sebastian Del Monte 7 Darcy Delaproser Andrew Denny Catherine Deveson Tom Devlin Simon Dewsbury Mike Dickinson Tim Dickinson John Dickinson Emma Dixon Sorrel Dixon Jacqui Dodd Elvira Dominguez Redondo Kevin Donoghue Holly Doyle Henry Drayton Padraigin Drinan Peter Droussiotis Chris du Boulay Letitia Duffus John Duffy Delia Dumaresq Ashley Dunford Shamik Dutta Daniel Easton Andrew Eaton Farzan Ebrahimi Kate Egerton Jo Eggleton Fiona Elder Marian Ellingworth Alan Elliott Patricia Elliott Michael Ellman David Enright JP Carolyn Entwistle Tim J Erdman Chris Esdaile Michael Etienne Rachel Evans Fiona Fairweather 8 Ann Farmer Peter Farthing Sophie Farthing Dr Martina Feilzer C Felsted Emma Fenebu Corinna Ferguson Jared Ficklin Janet Finney Anna Fionnuala James Alan Fisher Sarah FitzGerald Francis FitzGibbon Andy Fitzpatrick Sarah Flanagan Joanna Fleck Susan Flynn Tamara Fogarty Ebrahim Foolat Helen Foot Cllr Greg Foxsmith LLB Russell Fraser Danny Friedman Jamie Fulford Daniel Furner Alessandro Galtieri Natalia Garcia Alex Gask Ivan Geffen Omar Geloo Dimuna Gething Emma Gibson Tess Gill Denise Gillan Jennie Gillies Susan Glanville Eleanor Glass Patricia Glennie Richard Glover Stuart Goldberg 9 Michael Gomulka Melanie Gonga Leonardo Gonzalez Cianan Good Guy Goodwin-Gill Michael Goold Margaret Gordon Niki Goss Chris Goulden Oisin Gourley Christine Gower Camilla Graham Wood Nina Grahame Teresa Gray Alexander Green David Green Tessa Gregory John Griffith Jonathan Griffiths Gabrielle Guillemin Martyn Gwyther Gideon Habel John Halford Raza Halim Derek Hallam Paul Ham Julie Hambleton Peter Hamilton Beth Handley Matthew Happold Katherine Hardcastle Ivan Hare Nerida Harford-Bell Carl Harrington Aaltien Harris Bethan Harris Michael Harris Stella Harris Patrick Harte Nichola Harte 10 Richard Harvey James Harwood Trevor Hatton Paul Haughey Charlotte Haworth Hird Rory Hearty Arta Heath Laura Heaton Kirsten Heaven Sarah Hemingway Liz Henderson Amanda Hennedy Deborah Henning Ben Hibbert Alexander Hickey Tom Hickman Jane Hickman Corine Hims Glen Hodgetts Barry Hodgson Gary Hollis Sarah Holt McKeeve Sean Horstead Bijan Hoshi Michael House David Howe Martin Howe Michael Howson Laura Hoyano Sean Humber Sam Hume Raza Husain Sajid Hussein Gabriel Ingram Fozia Iqbal Melanie Jacques Vijay Jagadesham Saba Jamall Cathy James John James 11 Michael James Edward Shaw Polak Tarika Jayaratne Steven Jonas Bronwen Jones E Jones Emma Jones Nichola Jones Peter Jones Jessica Jones John Jones Tom Judge Christina Juman Kathleen Karavas Subir Karmakar Sarah Kellas Micheal Kelly LLB. LLM. Ruth Kelly Catriona Kennaway Michael Kenny Mladen Kesar Yvonne Kestler Aisha Khan Pauline Khan Shoaib Khan Saadia Khan Tariq Khawam Andrew Kinney Stephen Kirkbright Christopher Knight Samantha Knights Lynn Knowles Anna Konzon Nadia Koucheksarai Flo Krause Kate Kremers Charles Krieg Jamie Lake Justine Lattimer Donal Lawler Philip Leach 12 Esther Leach Dan Leader Carol Lee Paul Legg Tony Leifer Russell Levy Marie Lewiecki Anya Lewis Philip Liptrot Bethan Livesey Gaynor Lloyd Ceri Lloyd-Hughes Margaret Lloyds Sara Lomri Paul Lonergan Stephen Lue Brian Lynch Kathy Lynch Alastair Lyon Alison Macdonald Dan Mace Euan MacKay Nigel Mackay Chris Macmaster Duncan Macpherson Samuel Maginnis Lucy Mair Rose Malcolm Sapna Malik John Mann Peter Mant Ilona Marchant Kate Markus Karina Marriott Ian Marsh Jonathan Martin Shanta Martin Tony Martin Gene Matthews Anna Mazzola 13 Aileen McColgan Michael McColgan Jane McCool Ben McCormack Clare McDade Cormac McDonough Lauren McDougall Brian McFerran Claire McGregor Terry McGuinness Sam McIntosh Philip McLeish Sean McLoughlin Joanne McManus Billy McNulty Sarah McSherry Chris McWatters Richard Meeran James Mehigan Nicholas Mercer Alex Meredith Eric Metcalfe Chris Middleton Sally Middleton David Miles Gavin Millar Qudsia Mirza Patricia Mitchell Kavita Modi Samera Mohammed Keir Monteith Alexander Moorehead Professor Richard Moorhead Gwendolen Morgan Holly Morgan Trudy Morgan Anna Morris Piers Mostyn Nadia Motraghi Duncan Msimbe 14 Leah Mthembu Richard Mugford Padraig Muirigh Stuart Muldoon Peter Mulhern John Mullen Oliver Muller Tony Murphy Gerrard Murray Beatrice Myers Chitra Nagarajan Sonali Naik Zahra Nanji Sue Nash Faqir Nawaz Daniel Neill Robert Newey John Newman Michael Newman George Newsom Rebecca Niblock J. Nicholls Nik Nicol Silvia Nicolaou-Garcia Julian Norman Emma Norton Rory Nunn Dominic Nurse Jane O’Connell Maria O’Connell Barry O’Connor Raj Oesaj Adam Ohringer Niamh O’Kane David Oldfield Cain Ormondroyd Kieran O’Rourke Michael Oswald Celia Ouellette Maria Ouli15 Tim Owen David Parker Lochlinn Parker Ellen Parry Colin Passmore Chaitanya Patel Alisha Patel Frances Paterson Angela Patrick Adam Payter Christine Peace Caroline Pearce Mary Pearson Gareth Peirce Mike Pemberton Janet Penelope Meisner Edward Perks Katy Peters James Petts Alexandra Phillips Alison Pickup Eirwen Pierrot Luke Piper Emma Pitfield Joe Plant Michael Pollock Bobbi Portes Ann Poulter Steve Povey Eloise Power Anna Prasad Louise Price Stephanie Price Sophie Priestley Edmund Probert Amy Proferes Des Raj Vic Ramlaul Alice Ramsay Crispin Rapinet 16 Rebekah Read Jack Redmond Keith Reid Robert Reid Clare Richardson Catherine Richmond Paul Ridge Victoria Ridler Sally Robertson Alan Robinson Rachel Robinson Steve Rogers Adrian Rohard Ali Roland Alex Rose Pamela Rose Mary Rose Macadam Daniel Rourke Nicholas Rowe Dan Rubinstein Akexander Ruck Keene Stefano Ruis Yusef Salehi Hannah Sampson Adam Sandell Summer Sands Oliver Sangster Isabella Sankey James Saunders Rosie Scammell Roger Sceats Max Schaefer Catherine Scrivens Michael Seabright Martin Seaward Natalie Sedacca Eloisele Sento Akhil Shah Varsha Shah Ramzan Sharif 17 Jo Shaw Ishaani Shrivastava Tareq Shrourou Shane Sibbel Jawed Siddiqi Jerome Silva Stephen Simblet Franklin Sinclair Ryan Siner N Sivanandan Kirsten Sjøvoll Charlotte Skouby Joanne Skoulikas Hannah Slarks David Smith Gregory Smith Roger Smith Trevor Smith David Smith Edmund Smyth Tracy Smyth Priya Solanki David Solomon Irene Solomon David Sonn Robert Sowersby Claire Spearpoint Andrew Sperling Alessandro Spina Rudolph Spurling Martha Spurrier Dan Squires Clive Stafford Smith Alison Stanley John Stapleton James Stark Hilary Stauffer Jon Steingold Vanessa Stevens-Downie Kate Stone 18 Adam Straw Sanja Strkljevic Andrew Swaby Frances Swaine Mark Symes Mandy Talbot Roopa Tanna Hannah Taylor Keith Taylor Rachel Taylor Sue Taylor Haroulla Theocharous Benjamin Thomas Gwawr Thomas Leslie Thomas Carita Thomas Nick Thornsby Malcolm Thorpe Anna Thwaites Oliver Ticciati Clare Timmins Ronan Toal Matthew Tollitt Elizabeth Tombolinr Frances Trevena Angela Truell Jean Tucker Tashken Turan Mark Turnbull Sophie Turner Max Valk Merry Varney Anita Vasisht Guy Vassall-Adams Angharad Vaughan Anthony Vaughan Katy Vaughan Zoe Veater Kim Vernal Patrick Vernon BA 19 Mark Vinall Sarah Vine Adam Wagner Tim Wakeling Tim Walker Jack Waller Galina Ward Stephanie Ward Stuart Warmington Camille Warren Krystelle Wass David Watkinson Mark Watson Anna Watterson John Waymark Prof Julian Webb Frances Webber James Welch Geoffrey Wells Mrs Wells P Wells Zoe Wells Jon West Amanda Weston Neil Weymouth Paul Wheatley Harriet Wheeler Suzanne White Kate Whittaker Rodney Whittaker Eva Whittall Cassandra Wiener Jo Wilding Esther Wilkinson Nia Williams Sara Williams Caroline Wilson Clair Wilson Claire Windsor Harriet Wistrich 20 Simon Wood Isla Woodcock Sara Woodhouse Davie Stephen Woolford Paul Yates Alastair Young Stephanie Yule
5 thoughts on “NOW PASSING STEALTHILY: A Bill allowing judges to exclude lawyers, press, public and even litigants in their own cases from civil hearings”
jeffery davies says:
bet you will dfind atos helping out there somewere graylings puppets jeff3 this sounds of Unum again
BROKEN BRITAIN UNDER TORIES – NEW JUSTICE & SECURITY BILL SNEAKING IN
Whilst Cameron/Clegg and Miliband are grieving or celebrating over the Eastleigh Bye election on face ,the new Justice & Security Bill is weaving its way through Parliament very quietly .The Bill will enshrine in Law CMP’s Closed Material Procedures ,it challenges two main principles of the rule of Law – Open Justice & Natural Justice .Under the Terrorism Act you can be detained for up to 28 days and when this act becomes Law you can be detained ‘Tried’ and convicted without Public Knowledge
Cameron obviously favours this Bill because Privatisation issues will no doubt be held under a CMP -Similar to Blair repealing the Treason Act to cover his back over Iraq ,Cameron will sew everything up with CMP’s for Stealth Privatisation of NHS,Police and other National Bodies without Public Knowledge .But where is our Opposition – we haven’t one ,because papers emanating from Iraq and Libya implicate both Governments complicity in deals in exchange for dubious practices .www.brokenbritainundertories.com
Whatever anyone tells me about justice being fair in the uk, always makes me laugh…..
There is only one winner and its driven by cash or influence. If you can afford the most expensive lawyers and barristers you are always likely to walk away unscathed, strangely the victors are awarded costs anyway.
To put it in laymans terms, the whole fucking system is rotten from the top to the bottom!
Influence always goes a long way. Being a government minister or a chief police officer has its rewards…..
We are plebs and society has a way of never letting us forget this. Going into a court of law with some old fart in a threadbare wig and an old santa claus cloak snarling at you is commonplace.
You are meant to feel insignificant, the lowest of the lowest. Slick talking barristers remind you that you should have done better in english at school as they annihilate your lowly character before the jury….
” My Lord ” ” Your Honour”…… What a load of old bollocks!
Supposed to be judged by your peers, look it up in the dictionary, peers mean somebody on the same level. An equal.
The biggest crooks in our society are the same twats that try to lay down the law. They have an immediate advantage knowing how to circumvent it or twist it…..
But, and i emphasise, but, they havent gone the whole hog yet, they want the power to hush it up as well.
Are we a society with secrets or a secret society? All around us important transcripts and hearings are being suppressed at an alarming rate. Why have an Inquest if valuable information is removed, redacted or is hidden till a future date.
Big Brother is going a full circle and disappearing up its own arse. First they want surveillance cameras to record whats happening and now they plan to hide it!
One things for certain, the powers that be have lots they would like to bury. Sadly its not information for the public domain, just the poor and disabled who are leaving this world due to ill conceived policies…………..
Never mind an investigation into health trusts, what about the death rate increase courtesy of our twisted imbeciles in government.
The amount must be truly shocking and will no doubt increase as they pursue their campaign against the poorest in society.
These bungling fools have lots they wish to hide and will corrupt the laws to achieve it.
Great Britain must have more laws than the rest of europe put together, and more than its fair share of bent judges to enact it.
Every time i read of a trial or an inquiry and the judge carries the prefix of sir or lord before his name, immediately you realise its a foregone conclusion……
Marvelous this new word ” Terrorism”. Prior to our invasion on foreign shores the word was seldom heard of.
We brought the word in to our vocabulary by the act of an idiotic prime minister listening to, “pissed with power” yanks.
Terrorism has been manipulated by the powers that be to hide the truth of our missions abroad. As i speak, parliamentarians are pushing ahead with the Justice and Security Bill.
In no way does it make our country any safer whatsoever, it is merely an attempt to mask political decisions from the public eye.
………I thought it was just the electricity generators that were trying to keep us in the dark through exorbitant bills.
Secret means exactly what it means. Why should anybody be able to remove information from the public domain?.
Already inquiry details are being withheld, you must stop and ask why?. What can be so important that the government wants to hide it?.
There can only be one answer, they are complicit in crimes that would normally be challenged if they were to be in the public domain.
Suffice to say, rubbing out their footprints and perverting the course of justice.
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The Justice and Security Bill, which will allow secret ‘closed material’ hearings to take place in civil trials, has been quietly (almost too quietly) making its way through Parliament. The Bill will allow judges to exclude lawyers, press, the public and even litigants in their own cases from civil hearings which involve national security.
bet you will dfind atos helping out there somewere graylings puppets jeff3 this sounds of Unum again
BROKEN BRITAIN UNDER TORIES – NEW JUSTICE & SECURITY BILL SNEAKING IN
Whilst Cameron/Clegg and Miliband are grieving or celebrating over the Eastleigh Bye election on face ,the new Justice & Security Bill is weaving its way through Parliament very quietly .The Bill will enshrine in Law CMP’s Closed Material Procedures ,it challenges two main principles of the rule of Law – Open Justice & Natural Justice .Under the Terrorism Act you can be detained for up to 28 days and when this act becomes Law you can be detained ‘Tried’ and convicted without Public Knowledge
Cameron obviously favours this Bill because Privatisation issues will no doubt be held under a CMP -Similar to Blair repealing the Treason Act to cover his back over Iraq ,Cameron will sew everything up with CMP’s for Stealth Privatisation of NHS,Police and other National Bodies without Public Knowledge .But where is our Opposition – we haven’t one ,because papers emanating from Iraq and Libya implicate both Governments complicity in deals in exchange for dubious practices .www.brokenbritainundertories.com
Whatever anyone tells me about justice being fair in the uk, always makes me laugh…..
There is only one winner and its driven by cash or influence. If you can afford the most expensive lawyers and barristers you are always likely to walk away unscathed, strangely the victors are awarded costs anyway.
To put it in laymans terms, the whole fucking system is rotten from the top to the bottom!
Influence always goes a long way. Being a government minister or a chief police officer has its rewards…..
We are plebs and society has a way of never letting us forget this. Going into a court of law with some old fart in a threadbare wig and an old santa claus cloak snarling at you is commonplace.
You are meant to feel insignificant, the lowest of the lowest. Slick talking barristers remind you that you should have done better in english at school as they annihilate your lowly character before the jury….
” My Lord ” ” Your Honour”…… What a load of old bollocks!
Supposed to be judged by your peers, look it up in the dictionary, peers mean somebody on the same level. An equal.
The biggest crooks in our society are the same twats that try to lay down the law. They have an immediate advantage knowing how to circumvent it or twist it…..
But, and i emphasise, but, they havent gone the whole hog yet, they want the power to hush it up as well.
Are we a society with secrets or a secret society? All around us important transcripts and hearings are being suppressed at an alarming rate. Why have an Inquest if valuable information is removed, redacted or is hidden till a future date.
Big Brother is going a full circle and disappearing up its own arse. First they want surveillance cameras to record whats happening and now they plan to hide it!
One things for certain, the powers that be have lots they would like to bury. Sadly its not information for the public domain, just the poor and disabled who are leaving this world due to ill conceived policies…………..
Justice, you must be joking………
Never mind an investigation into health trusts, what about the death rate increase courtesy of our twisted imbeciles in government.
The amount must be truly shocking and will no doubt increase as they pursue their campaign against the poorest in society.
These bungling fools have lots they wish to hide and will corrupt the laws to achieve it.
Great Britain must have more laws than the rest of europe put together, and more than its fair share of bent judges to enact it.
Every time i read of a trial or an inquiry and the judge carries the prefix of sir or lord before his name, immediately you realise its a foregone conclusion……
Marvelous this new word ” Terrorism”. Prior to our invasion on foreign shores the word was seldom heard of.
We brought the word in to our vocabulary by the act of an idiotic prime minister listening to, “pissed with power” yanks.
Terrorism has been manipulated by the powers that be to hide the truth of our missions abroad. As i speak, parliamentarians are pushing ahead with the Justice and Security Bill.
In no way does it make our country any safer whatsoever, it is merely an attempt to mask political decisions from the public eye.
………I thought it was just the electricity generators that were trying to keep us in the dark through exorbitant bills.
Secret means exactly what it means. Why should anybody be able to remove information from the public domain?.
Already inquiry details are being withheld, you must stop and ask why?. What can be so important that the government wants to hide it?.
There can only be one answer, they are complicit in crimes that would normally be challenged if they were to be in the public domain.
Suffice to say, rubbing out their footprints and perverting the course of justice.