header-logo header-logo

03 June 2010 / Jennifer James
Issue: 7420 / Categories: Blogs
printer mail-detail

Double trouble?

Jennifer James considers the Cameron-Clegg alliance in the light of other famous double acts

The Insider has been following the progress of the coalition government with interest; I could be snide and say it’s like turning over a log in the garden and looking at all the invertebrate creatures scurrying away from the light but if they did not exactly win fair and square, they certainly did not suffer a resounding defeat as the Labour party did.

It was interesting last weekend to watch their first big test, the departure of the cabinet minister, David Laws, after the revelation that he had been claiming £950 per month on expenses to pay as rent to his same-sex partner. Apparent universal acceptance that this was a matter of privacy over Laws’ sexuality, rather than greed over the £950 per month, struck me as odd. After all, if you don’t want your colleagues and constituents to know you are gay, surely the simple answer is not to claim expenses to pay to your gentleman friend as rent, and then it’s

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Nikki Bowker, head of litigation and dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team

DWF—Chris Air

DWF—Chris Air

Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts

An engagement ring may symbolise romance, but the courts remain decidedly practical about who keeps it after a split, writes Mark Pawlowski, barrister and professor emeritus of property law at the University of Greenwich, in this week's NLJ

Medical reporting organisation fees have become ‘the final battleground’ in modern costs litigation, says Kris Kilsby, costs lawyer at Peak Costs and council member of the Association of Costs Lawyers, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll