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NLJ this week: Time up for ‘rump’ of peers?

11 October 2024
Issue: 8089 / Categories: Legal News , Constitutional law , Public
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Sir Keir Starmer’s government is making good on its manifesto pledge to evict the hereditary peers. In this week’s NLJ, Neil Parpworth of Leicester De Montfort Law School examines the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill

A mere five clauses long, it is of high constitutional significance, even if ridding Westminster of ‘the rump’ is unlikely to have an earth-shattering effect on our democracy in practice.

Parpworth writes: ‘It will bring to an end centuries of tradition by breaking the link between the hereditary peerage and the second chamber of the UK’s bicameral legislature.’ He covers limitations and reactions, and uncovers some ironies.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
David Lammy, Ellie Reeves and Baroness Levitt have taken up office at the Ministry of Justice, following the cabinet reshuffle
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