Month: April 2020

UK local government and national government move to “virtual” democracy and “virtual” public meetings as coronavirus restrictions continue

UK local government and national government move to “virtual” democracy and “virtual” public meetings as coronavirus restrictions continue

UK local government and national government move to “virtual” democracy and “virtual” public meetings as coronavirus restrictions continue

                                               

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Phil Davies at a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Confirmation Hearing 9th April 2020) from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Phil Davies at a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Confirmation Hearing 9th April 2020) from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

After a break of approximately four weeks, the House of Commons and House of Lords both met today (21st April 2020) and agreed new procedural rules which allow a hybrid of in person participation (with social distancing) and virtual participation.
Continue reading “UK local government and national government move to “virtual” democracy and “virtual” public meetings as coronavirus restrictions continue”

Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?

Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?

Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?

                                   

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Phil Davies at a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Confirmation Hearing 9th April 2020) from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Phil Davies at a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Confirmation Hearing 9th April 2020) from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

Updated 20.4.20 – since this piece was published on the 19.4.20 the letter to the Police and Crime Commissioner and report about her preferred candidate Philip Davies for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner has been published on the afternoon of the 20.4.20 and can now be read on Knowsley Council’s website.

Following the earlier blog post headlined Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post, despite Phil Davies being reported as withdrawing his application I awaited with interest the publication of the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel regarding the proposed appointment.
Continue reading “Why has the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel into Phil Davies as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner not been published yet?”

Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation

Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation

Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation

                                                   

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Councillor Paul Lynch (Chair, Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 9th April 2020 from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Councillor Paul Lynch (Chair, Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 9th April 2020 from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

On Monday I published a piece headlined Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post about the meeting last week of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel. Since then the Liverpool Echo reports that Phil Davies has withdrawn his application.
Continue reading “Merseyside Police and Crime Panel struggle to recruit required extra Co-Opted Member nearly 2 years after resignation”

Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post

Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post

Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post

                                     

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Phil Davies (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) confirmation hearing 9th April 2020 Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Phil Davies (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) confirmation hearing 9th April 2020 Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

Just over a week ago, new regulations (as a result of the coronavirus pandemic) called the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 allowed local government public meetings in England and Wales to take place not in person in the same room but as remote or virtual meetings.
Continue reading “Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post”

The Hon. Mr Justice Nicol agreed privacy order in Johnny Depp/The Sun Newspaper libel trial allowing Amber Heard and another witness to give some evidence during the libel trial in private (with reporting restrictions)

The Hon. Mr Justice Nicol agreed privacy order in Johnny Depp/The Sun Newspaper libel trial allowing Amber Heard and another witness to give some evidence during the libel trial in private (with reporting restrictions)

The Hon. Mr Justice Nicol agreed privacy order in Johnny Depp/The Sun Newspaper libel trial allowing Amber Heard and another witness to give some evidence during the libel trial in private (with reporting restrictions)

                                               

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Royal Courts of Justice, London, UK (resized). Picture credit sjiong, made available under the CC BY-SA 2.0 licence
Royal Courts of Justice, London, UK (resized). Picture credit sjiong, made available under the CC BY-SA 2.0 licence.

Please note that comments are turned off due to the ongoing nature of this case.

There are two other report of hearings in the same case also published on this blog.

The Hon. Mr Justice Nicol asked to agree to 4 further witnesses (Miss Vanessa Paradis, Miss Winona Ryder, Mr David Killackey and Miss Kate James) in Johnny Depp/The Sun Newspaper libel case (16th May 2020)

Adam Wolanski QC asked Nicol J at a High Court of Justice hearing (Thursday 25th June 2020) to strike out the Johnny Depp libel claim against The Sun newspaper (and Sun journalist Dan Wootton) alleging a breach of an earlier disclosure order of Nicol J (29th June 2020)

This is a report on a public hearing held on the 8rd April 2020 which started at 10.30 am in the High Court of Justice (Queen’s Bench Division) before the Hon. Mr Justice Nicol.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic the hearing was held (see Civil Procedure Rule Practice Direction 51Y) not in person but virtually as a video hearing. It was an application notice hearing in the libel case QB-2018-006323 (Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd & Dan Wootton).
Continue reading “The Hon. Mr Justice Nicol agreed privacy order in Johnny Depp/The Sun Newspaper libel trial allowing Amber Heard and another witness to give some evidence during the libel trial in private (with reporting restrictions)”