Alan Greene
@alangreene.bsky.social
Reader in Constitutional Law and Human Rights. Irish emigrant. I write about emergencies, terrorism, constitutional theory, and human rights.
Pinned
Alan Greene
@alangreene.bsky.social
· Dec 1
Now available for pre-order; forthcoming April 2026.
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Picture of me pushing my son's buggy this morning.
If they grit roads they should clear footpaths.
Nothing says cars are more important than pedestrians more than the state of footpaths compared to roads when it's snowed.
If they grit roads they should clear footpaths.
Nothing says cars are more important than pedestrians more than the state of footpaths compared to roads when it's snowed.
January 9, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Picture of me pushing my son's buggy this morning.
If they grit roads they should clear footpaths.
Nothing says cars are more important than pedestrians more than the state of footpaths compared to roads when it's snowed.
If they grit roads they should clear footpaths.
Nothing says cars are more important than pedestrians more than the state of footpaths compared to roads when it's snowed.
New chapter from me in this excellent collection edited by Martin Belov. I argue that while many constitutionalists are sceptical of constitutional identity owing to its populist potential, the concept can be developed to protect against constitutional abuse by constraining emergency powers.
January 7, 2026 at 12:46 PM
New chapter from me in this excellent collection edited by Martin Belov. I argue that while many constitutionalists are sceptical of constitutional identity owing to its populist potential, the concept can be developed to protect against constitutional abuse by constraining emergency powers.
January 5, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Test match cricket is England's equivalent of an Irish PRSTV vote count.
December 6, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Test match cricket is England's equivalent of an Irish PRSTV vote count.
Jim Allister flags a key problem with non-jury trials and one which particularly afflicts the Special Criminal Court in the south.
December 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Jim Allister flags a key problem with non-jury trials and one which particularly afflicts the Special Criminal Court in the south.
Reposted by Alan Greene
Hard to read this and not feel a flare of righteous fury at the absolute cruelty that underpins the anti-trans movement.
Just diabolical to force a tiny number of girls and young women out because you've let your twitter algorithm convince you they're dangerous.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Just diabolical to force a tiny number of girls and young women out because you've let your twitter algorithm convince you they're dangerous.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Trans girls banned from joining Girlguiding
Girls’ adventure charity says it made decision after seeking legal advice in wake of supreme court ruling on gender
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Hard to read this and not feel a flare of righteous fury at the absolute cruelty that underpins the anti-trans movement.
Just diabolical to force a tiny number of girls and young women out because you've let your twitter algorithm convince you they're dangerous.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Just diabolical to force a tiny number of girls and young women out because you've let your twitter algorithm convince you they're dangerous.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
From 2021-23, I was part of an Independent Review Group examining aspects of Ireland's counter-terrorism legislation, including the non-jury Special Criminal Court. British based lawyers may find parts of our report dealing with non-jury trials interesting.
www.oasareview.ie/wp-content/u...
www.oasareview.ie/wp-content/u...
www.oasareview.ie
December 2, 2025 at 4:37 PM
From 2021-23, I was part of an Independent Review Group examining aspects of Ireland's counter-terrorism legislation, including the non-jury Special Criminal Court. British based lawyers may find parts of our report dealing with non-jury trials interesting.
www.oasareview.ie/wp-content/u...
www.oasareview.ie/wp-content/u...
If the abolition of trial by jury is an emergency measure to clear the backlog of cases then it ought to, by definition, be temporary. Otherwise, it's a clear rejection of the value of jury trials.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Deputy PM David Lammy set to announce jury trial reforms
The changes will restrict the right to a jury trial in a bid to reduce the backlog of cases.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 2, 2025 at 8:17 AM
If the abolition of trial by jury is an emergency measure to clear the backlog of cases then it ought to, by definition, be temporary. Otherwise, it's a clear rejection of the value of jury trials.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
From the country that brought you Brexit and Prime Minister Boris Johnson comes a new abomination in Public opinion...
December 1, 2025 at 10:59 PM
From the country that brought you Brexit and Prime Minister Boris Johnson comes a new abomination in Public opinion...
Now available for pre-order; forthcoming April 2026.
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
December 1, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Now available for pre-order; forthcoming April 2026.
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Labour's argument that it cannot get its workers rights bill provisions regarding day 1 rights through the House of Lords doesn't add up. It's explicitly mentioned in its 2024 manifesto so the Lords should be bound by the Salisbury Convention.
December 1, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Labour's argument that it cannot get its workers rights bill provisions regarding day 1 rights through the House of Lords doesn't add up. It's explicitly mentioned in its 2024 manifesto so the Lords should be bound by the Salisbury Convention.
Me waiting for Irish journalists to label this government 'populist' for attacking judicial review...
cookie monster from sesame street sitting on a table with a cookie in his hand
ALT: cookie monster from sesame street sitting on a table with a cookie in his hand
media.tenor.com
November 30, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Me waiting for Irish journalists to label this government 'populist' for attacking judicial review...
Reposted by Alan Greene
Christmas at the BBC
![Title panel:
CHRISTMAS… AT THE BBC.
The Traitors Christmas Special:
Who in the BBC Boardroom is trying to bring down the gaff from within?
[Image: The Traitors scene with Claudia Winkleman looking like “ooh-er” while the BBC board sit at a table looking suspiciously at each other]
Apologising To The People Who Want To Destroy Us At Christmas:
A festive extravaganza of self-flagellation before our enemies
[Image: A cozy fireside scene with Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch standing, while at their feet lots of BBC employees are kneeling before them and begging for forgiveness].
Donald's Big Distraction:
Heartwarming Julia Donaldson animation in which a dragon sues the BBC to draw his friends' attention onto something else
[Image: Julia Donaldson’s ‘Zog’ with a Donald Trump wig, holding up a lawyer’s letter to show his dragon friends while trying to block their view of a pile of box files and computer drives some with ‘Epstein’ written on them].
The King's Speech:
We let Nigel Farage tell you the BBC is left wing as if that's some kind of fact
[Image: Nigel Farage as the King delivering his Christmas speech to camera].
A Ghost Story for Christmas:
A venerable British institution is haunted by Boris Johnson's appointees
[Image: A BBC studio with a window, outside in the dark snowy night a spectral apparition in the form of Robbie Gibb taps at the window and wails “I want to destroooy you”]
Christmas Labour Inertia-Time:
Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy present four hours of total silence from under their desks
[Image: Show them both under their desks holding up glasses of sherry]
Rightward Drift Christmas Special:
A bonanza of trust-corrosion with confected immigration panic and Reform coverage
[Image: A computer and a smartphone in a cute snowy scene, both displaying the BBC News website with multiple headlines and LIVE feeds and and BREAKING NEWS stories headlined: “IMMIGRANTS? IMMIGRANTS? IMMIGRANTS? IMMIGRANTS!”]
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreietljvkssrlfwyblu4khsm37dj3753r23rizf7p56rhmo52folnme@jpeg)
November 30, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Christmas at the BBC
Reposted by Alan Greene
incredible that VCs have collectively strategised on the threat of the far-right and democratic backsliding, and somehow the lesson from Columbia, Harvard, UCSF etc is that appeasement works
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 10:21 AM
incredible that VCs have collectively strategised on the threat of the far-right and democratic backsliding, and somehow the lesson from Columbia, Harvard, UCSF etc is that appeasement works
The worst thing about being a Spurs fan is that you don't get to laugh at what is objectively funny.
November 29, 2025 at 8:11 PM
The worst thing about being a Spurs fan is that you don't get to laugh at what is objectively funny.
Reposted by Alan Greene
Great workshop on the Irish Political Constitution today, co-organised with @laurcah.bsky.social and @alangreene.bsky.social Some great papers, planning on a special issue of the Irish Jurist in 2026. Thanks to @maynoothlaw.bsky.social and the NUI for their support.
November 28, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Great workshop on the Irish Political Constitution today, co-organised with @laurcah.bsky.social and @alangreene.bsky.social Some great papers, planning on a special issue of the Irish Jurist in 2026. Thanks to @maynoothlaw.bsky.social and the NUI for their support.
Reposted by Alan Greene
Part of my evidence put before the court today attests to the unique nature of the proscription based on some research I conducted, and part speaks to the chilling effect on academic teaching and research in the area
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Palestine Action like the Suffragettes, court told
Lawyers for the group say the government's ban is unprecedented, as they launch a legal challenge.
www.bbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Part of my evidence put before the court today attests to the unique nature of the proscription based on some research I conducted, and part speaks to the chilling effect on academic teaching and research in the area
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Alan Greene
If the Palestine Action case does nothing else (and you'd need a lot of faith in the power of rights in security contexts to think it will) it spotlights once again the lamentable mess of Closed Material Procedures that the UK Govt has so far gotten away with:
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
November 26, 2025 at 9:53 AM
If the Palestine Action case does nothing else (and you'd need a lot of faith in the power of rights in security contexts to think it will) it spotlights once again the lamentable mess of Closed Material Procedures that the UK Govt has so far gotten away with:
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
The UK has gone from "We need to enshrine the right to jury trial in a British Bill of Rights" to "We need to abolish jury trial" in the space of about 3 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The UK has gone from "We need to enshrine the right to jury trial in a British Bill of Rights" to "We need to abolish jury trial" in the space of about 3 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This stinks. At the very least, it appears to stink.
And that's a problem for judicial independence and the rule of law.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
And that's a problem for judicial independence and the rule of law.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Removal of judge in Palestine Action ban legal challenge ‘deeply concerning’
Unusual last-minute change means panel of three will now hear case rather than Mr Justice Chamberlain
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:21 PM
This stinks. At the very least, it appears to stink.
And that's a problem for judicial independence and the rule of law.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
And that's a problem for judicial independence and the rule of law.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Congratulations to Adrian Chiles for his new role as leader writer at the Washington Post.
At this point, the Washpost edit page is just trolling its readers.
This is today's actual house editorial.
This is today's actual house editorial.
November 25, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Congratulations to Adrian Chiles for his new role as leader writer at the Washington Post.
Reposted by Alan Greene
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1