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19 July 2024
Issue: 8080 / Categories: Legal News , Public , Constitutional law , Human rights
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NLJ this week: Mercer & the politics of the public inquiry

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The worlds of law and politics collide where public inquiries take place

In this week’s NLJ, Nick Wrightson, partner, Kingsley Napley, looks at the legal powers to compel witnesses—and the political realities that surround their use.

Wrightson looks at issues relating to former minister of state for veterans’ affairs Johnny Mercer, who gave evidence to the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, in which he referred to information received in confidence.

The author also refers to issues surrounding the Covid-19 inquiry, in this topical article. He writes: ‘As public inquiries continue to proliferate, we can expect those conducting them to face more dilemmas over when to compel and when to look for another way to achieve what is required.’ 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson

NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson

Daniel Burbeary, office managing partner of Michelman Robinson, discusses launching in London, the power of the law, and what the kitchen can teach us about litigating

Wedlake Bell—Rebecca Christie

Wedlake Bell—Rebecca Christie

Firm welcomes partner with specialist expertise in family and art law

Birketts—Álvaro Aznar

Birketts—Álvaro Aznar

Dual-qualified partner joins international private client team

NEWS
Cheating in driving tests is surging—and courts are responding firmly. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort Law School charts a rise in impersonation and tech-assisted fraud, with 2,844 attempts recorded in a year
As AI-generated ‘deepfake’ images proliferate, the law may already have the tools to respond. In NLJ this week, Jon Belcher of Excello Law argues that such images amount to personal data processing under UK GDPR
In a striking financial remedies ruling, the High Court cut a wife’s award by 40% for coercive and controlling behaviour. Writing in NLJ this week, Chris Bryden and Nicole Wallace of 4 King’s Bench Walk analyse LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473
A €60.9m award to Kylian Mbappé has refocused attention on football’s controversial ‘ethics bonus’ clauses. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Estelle Ivanova of Valloni Attorneys at Law examines how such provisions sit within French labour law
A seemingly dry procedural update may prove potent. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ this week, Stephen Gold explains that new CPR 31.12A—part of the 193rd update—fills a ‘lacuna’ exposed in McLaren Indy v Alpa Racing
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