No evidence Rwanda is yet a safe country for asylum seekers
The Independent, Gazette, Evening Standard, Gazette & Herald, Warrington Guardian, Cotswold Journal and more than 100 regional outlets continue coverage of our response to the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “The bill would state that Parliament judges Rwanda to be a safe country immediately and forever. But there is no evidence of this.
“The UK government says that the existence of the December 2023 Rwanda Treaty is sufficient – but we are deeply concerned that the government does not know whether the safeguards in the treaty are yet operational, or even when they will be.
“These questions are imperative for Parliament to be able to consider whether Rwanda is a safe country and conclusively deem it to be one in law.”
Spring Budget: Warning against further justice cuts
The FT (£) examines the impact further cuts would have on the justice system, which is already in crisis with overcrowded prisons, huge court backlogs, legal aid deserts and crumbling courts.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “Further cuts would be an absolute disaster for justice.
“This is a system that desperately needs significant additional funding just to stand still.”
New legislation helps public secure funding in fight against corporations
Commercial Dispute Resolution and Global Legal Post continue coverage of the UK government revealing that it will announce legislation which will make it easier for the public to secure funding for their legal fights against corporations.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “Too frequently it is said that justice is not a priority for this government, but we would hope recent events will call for reflection on how it supports access to justice through the court system for all those without independent financial means.
“The public do care about justice and are vocal about when it is lacking.”
On the review announcement, Nick Emmerson said: “There could be merit in a review, but it would be worth considering the risk of the funding arrangement rendering any victory hollow for the consumers affected.”
The women who changed the legal industry
Ahead of International Women’s Day, Law.Careers.Net looks at the achievements of women in the legal profession including two former Law Society presidents – Lubna Shuja and I. Stephanie Boyce.
Also worth a read:
- Master of the Rolls predicts it will soon be negligent not to use AI – Legal Futures
- British negotiators fly to India for trade deal talks – Guardian
- Companies House has new powers to query information and require companies to give legitimate addresses as part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 – Gazette
- Post Office has spent twice as much on lawyers’ fees on the Horizon accounting scandal as it has paid out in compensation – Times (£)
- Former DPP criticised by Whitehall appointments watchdog – FT (£)
- Government suffers five defeats in House of Lords over Rwanda Bill – BBC