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05 August 2016 / Neil Parpworth
Issue: 7710 / Categories: Features , EU , Human rights
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All in due course?

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Neil Parpworth takes stock of where we are at in relation to human rights reform

  • How will Theresa May’s government deal with the proposed repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998, especially now that the EU Referendum outcome has led to a whole host of issues which will need to be prioritised?

Repealing the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998) and replacing it with a British Bill of Rights is, for some, a solution in search of a problem. Nevertheless, the Conservative government under David Cameron announced in its manifesto prior to the 7 May 2015 General Election that if elected, this was one of the reforms it would introduce. Thus as the then Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, Michael Gove MP, asserted on a number of occasions, the government had a mandate for human rights reform. It was therefore believed in advance of the 2015 Queen’s Speech that a Bill would be announced. Instead, the two Houses were informed that: “My government will bring forward proposals for a

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Kennedys—Milan Devani

Kennedys—Milan Devani

Chief information officer appointment strengthens technology leadership

Maguire Family Law—Hannah Barlow & Sophie Hughes

Maguire Family Law—Hannah Barlow & Sophie Hughes

Firm strengthens Wilmslow team with two solicitor appointments

DWF—Ian Plumley

DWF—Ian Plumley

Londoninsurance and reinsurance practice announces partner appointment

NEWS
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling on termination under the JCT Design & Build form. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Singer KC and Jonathan Ward, of Kings Chambers, analyse Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1, which restores the first-instance decision and curbs contractors’ termination rights for repeated late payment
Secondments, disciplinary procedures and appeal chaos all feature in a quartet of recent rulings. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, examines how established principles are being tested in modern disputes
The AI revolution is no longer a distant murmur—it’s at the client’s desk. Writing in NLJ this week, Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and Legalito, warns that the ‘AI chickens’ have ‘come home to roost’, transforming not just legal practice but the lawyer–client relationship itself
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
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