Constitutional law

The Supreme Court’s decision regarding a draft Scottish Independence Referendum Bill will ‘not have come as a surprise’ to the first minister, according to public law specialist Stephen Parkinson.

Disquiet is growing in the City of London about the likely impact of the Bill of Rights Bill on the UK’s economic competitiveness, the Law Society has warned. 

In a Reference by the Lord Advocate of devolution issues under paragraph 34 of Schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998 [2022] UKSC 31, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence, without any modification of the definition of reserved matters. 

Is our democracy under threat? In this week’s NLJ, Michael Zander KC reviews (an alarming) speech by Professor Sir Jeffrey Jowell KC on the subject of the UK’s constitution. 

Michael Zander reports on a warning from Sir Jeffrey Jowell: fundamental safeguards are at stake

Domesticating retained EU law: practical necessity or ideological project? Charles Pigott considers the mammoth task ahead

The UK Constitutional Law Association (UKCLA) have published a blog by Professor of Law and Director of Research at Aston Law School, Simon Lee, on the 75th anniversary of the Wednesbury case. 

Something has to be done to address the over-politicisation of the government’s legal advice, says Roger Smith

The second reading of the government’s Bill of Rights Bill did not go ahead as scheduled.