Constitutional Changes in Scotland – I: Incorporation of International Treaties, Devolution and Effective Accountability
Scotland is on the precipice of significant subnational constitutional change through a programme of incorporation of international treaties. On 16 March 2021, the Scottish Parliament unanimously enacted the UNCRC (Incorporation)...
The Government’s Radical Theory of the Constitution
In its response to the Independent Review of Administrative Law, the Government has set out a theory of the constitution that animates its case for reform and informs its position...
The Unconstitutionality of Myanmar’s State of Emergency
On 1st of February 2021, the State Peace and Development Council (‘SPDC’) imposed a year-long state of emergency. The Burmese military invoked Article 417 of the Constitution of Burma, which...
The Human Rights Act, 1998
A striking feature of the history of Europe since the ending of WW II has been the origin, development, application and enforcement of the international movement for the protection of...
Enhancing the UK Parliament’s Scrutiny of Human Rights: A Case for Improved Government Reporting
Parliaments are increasingly recognised as vital actors for ensuring governments’ implementation of both human rights judgments and recommendations made by United Nations’ (UN) Treaty Bodies and the Universal Periodic Review....
Trump and Twitter: A Freedom of Speech Quagmire
The banning of US President Donald Trump from Twitter and a sundry of other social media platforms, after his public utterances and tweets are said to have led to the...
Joint Report Examines ‘Systemic’ Corruption in the South African Water Sector—But What Of Human Rights?
A seminal joint report published by the Water Integrity Network and Corruption Watch earlier this year critically examines corruption in the South African Department of Water and Sanitation. The report...
The Voice of Hong Kong in Exile (with Nathan Law)
During the Umbrella Movement in 2014, Nathan Law was one of the five representatives who took part in the dialogue with the Government debating political reform. Upholding non-violent civic actions,...
The Transformative Possibilities of a Constitution (with Joel Modiri and Gautam Bhatia)
Constitutions are the legal bedrock of many countries, but they’re also political, and are produced within a specific socio-historical context, much like any text. As much as Constitutions are there...
Human Rights, International Law and The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2020
The recently published United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2020 has caused – to put it mildly – quite a stir upon its arrival. Partly due to the Government’s admission that...
Advancing a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland
In times of crisis, the protection of human rights is fundamental. Covid-19 presents unprecedented challenges for any government. However, for a government in a post-conflict setting, such as Northern Ireland,...
Human Rights Law Should Meet the Administrative State
Human rights depend on a well-functioning administrative state. If the administrative state is dysfunctional, it will not be able to realise the promise of human rights. While obvious in some...
