Council of Europe report finds government’s attitude is weakening protections for the public The UK government has “an increasingly antagonistic attitude” towards human rights that is weakening instead of strengthening protections for the public, a European inquiry has found. Inflammatory language used by MPs and officials to describe lawyers could put their safety at risk, according to the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović. Provisions in the PCSC Act that de facto

Chancellor expected to target senior managers’ regime and ringfencing rules in 30-point package Jeremy Hunt is due to unveil a 30-point package of City policy changes on Friday that will involve rowing back on regulations in order to boost competition and growth. The chancellor’s announcement, referred to as the “Edinburgh reforms”, will outline how the government intends to “review, repeal and replace” a host of rules that were introduced to protect savers and the taxpayer

Scrapping of adverts for foods high in fat, salt and sugar before 9pm will not now take effect until 2025 Rishi Sunak faces a furious backlash from health experts after his government yet again delayed plans for a ban on pre-watershed TV advertising for junk food. A ban on adverts for foods high in fat, salt and sugar before 9pm was due to come into force from January 2023, as well as a ban on

Judge says Muhammad Khan caused distress to people in queue at Westminster Hall in September A man who grabbed at the flag draped over the Queen’s coffin, leaving mourners who had queued to file past “clearly anguished”, has been detained in a mental health facility. Muhammad Khan, 28, from Limehouse in east London, was charged with a public order offence after the incident on 16 September and will be treated at the facility. Continue reading…

Robert Browne, 56, had hurled abuse at man on a street in Cheadle after chasing him with two umbrellas A former soldier who pleaded guilty to a racist assault after chasing a teacher down the street with two umbrellas and using a racial slur has received a 10-week suspended sentence and been ordered to pay his victim £300. Robert Browne, 56, pleaded guilty last month at Tameside magistrates court to racially/religiously aggravated common assault/beating on

Cabinet minister Gillian Keegan suggested extending ban on police and military from taking industrial action to other sectors Trade unions have vowed to oppose any new anti-strike laws tabled by the government, as home secretary Suella Braverman urged the public to reconsider their Christmas travel plans amid “serious disruption” caused by planned industrial action by Border Force staff. The government is engaged in a bitter PR battle with the unions over who is to blame