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28 March 2019 / David Greene
Issue: 7834 / Categories: Opinion , Brexit , Constitutional law
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Crisis? What crisis?

David Greene lays out the (possible) next steps for Brexit, democracy & the country


We are, no doubt, in a political crisis. One doesn’t need to have taken sides in the debate to conclude to that effect. This process, which has taken a fresh step of indicative votes, has put under the microscope the relationship between the executive and Parliament, having earlier examined the relationship between the government and the judiciary in the Article 50 litigation. The Westminster model which has replicas in many countries, even down to the physical construction of the debating chamber, has broken down. Does it remain fit for purpose?

The UK version of the Westminster model of governance and democracy retains at its heart the foundation stone of elections based on first past the post. This, its advocates say, produces strong governments based on party politics that are in the position to put into effect their manifesto. With a good majority the government can push through its legislative programme as promised to the electorate. It is more difficult when

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
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