Aileen McHarg
@aileenmcharg.bsky.social
Professor of Public Law and Human Rights, Durham University. Joint General Editor, Public Law.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
NEW -
Political Scandals and Vertical Contagion in Multilevel Systems - cup.org/47wHeJB
- @jaclarner.bsky.social, Robert Johns, @ailsahenderson.bsky.social, @frasmcm.bsky.social & @cjcarman.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
Political Scandals and Vertical Contagion in Multilevel Systems - cup.org/47wHeJB
- @jaclarner.bsky.social, Robert Johns, @ailsahenderson.bsky.social, @frasmcm.bsky.social & @cjcarman.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
November 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
NEW -
Political Scandals and Vertical Contagion in Multilevel Systems - cup.org/47wHeJB
- @jaclarner.bsky.social, Robert Johns, @ailsahenderson.bsky.social, @frasmcm.bsky.social & @cjcarman.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
Political Scandals and Vertical Contagion in Multilevel Systems - cup.org/47wHeJB
- @jaclarner.bsky.social, Robert Johns, @ailsahenderson.bsky.social, @frasmcm.bsky.social & @cjcarman.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
What's with pronouncing "legislation" as "leg-islation"?
November 7, 2025 at 4:54 PM
What's with pronouncing "legislation" as "leg-islation"?
You cannot mansplain to a man.
An SNP minister has been accused of 'mansplaining' during a row over his failure to meet with the leadership of a crisis-hit heritage body
Tory MSP accuses SNP minister of 'mansplaining' in row over HES meetings
www.thenational.scot
November 6, 2025 at 1:19 PM
You cannot mansplain to a man.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
Being handed down next week: Keir and Daly v Scottish Ministers
UKSC judgment on whether Scottish courts’ rules relating to admissibility of sexual history evidence breach Art 6 ECHR
We know the answer is no, but written reasons to come next week
supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2...
UKSC judgment on whether Scottish courts’ rules relating to admissibility of sexual history evidence breach Art 6 ECHR
We know the answer is no, but written reasons to come next week
supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2...
Keir (Appellant) v His Majesty's Advocate (Respondent) (Scotland) - UK Supreme Court
1. Is the Scottish courts’ current approach to the admission of evidence concerning the complainer’s sexual history in trials for sexual offences liable to infringe defendants’ rights to a fair trial ...
supremecourt.uk
November 6, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Being handed down next week: Keir and Daly v Scottish Ministers
UKSC judgment on whether Scottish courts’ rules relating to admissibility of sexual history evidence breach Art 6 ECHR
We know the answer is no, but written reasons to come next week
supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2...
UKSC judgment on whether Scottish courts’ rules relating to admissibility of sexual history evidence breach Art 6 ECHR
We know the answer is no, but written reasons to come next week
supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2...
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
Don't forget to order your 2026 Law Paw calendar!
Calendars cost £20 and feature dozens of adorable law-themed pet photographs. Plus all the money raised goes to @savechildrenuk.bsky.social .
www.billablehour.org/calendar/uk2022-n5hfj-bkdhx-nya88-t88th
Calendars cost £20 and feature dozens of adorable law-themed pet photographs. Plus all the money raised goes to @savechildrenuk.bsky.social .
www.billablehour.org/calendar/uk2022-n5hfj-bkdhx-nya88-t88th
There's still time to order your calendar! It features all of the wonderful pets you've seen this year, AND all the money raised goes to @savechildrenuk.bsky.social . Not to mention, they make great Christmas presents
www.billablehour.org/calendar/uk2...
www.billablehour.org/calendar/uk2...
November 5, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Don't forget to order your 2026 Law Paw calendar!
Calendars cost £20 and feature dozens of adorable law-themed pet photographs. Plus all the money raised goes to @savechildrenuk.bsky.social .
www.billablehour.org/calendar/uk2022-n5hfj-bkdhx-nya88-t88th
Calendars cost £20 and feature dozens of adorable law-themed pet photographs. Plus all the money raised goes to @savechildrenuk.bsky.social .
www.billablehour.org/calendar/uk2022-n5hfj-bkdhx-nya88-t88th
I have long advocated a variation on this approach:
1. Consider whether the request might actually be a good idea (you never know).
2. If not, is compliance unavoidable?
3. If neither 1 or 2, ignore, because it will be forgotten soon enough.
1. Consider whether the request might actually be a good idea (you never know).
2. If not, is compliance unavoidable?
3. If neither 1 or 2, ignore, because it will be forgotten soon enough.
A newly appointed Head of Department thanked me for this old Guardian column last week. So I feel duty bound to share it.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
University administration in permanent revolution? Try masterful inactivity
The only way for academics to cope with the pace of change in universities is to ignore everything
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
I have long advocated a variation on this approach:
1. Consider whether the request might actually be a good idea (you never know).
2. If not, is compliance unavoidable?
3. If neither 1 or 2, ignore, because it will be forgotten soon enough.
1. Consider whether the request might actually be a good idea (you never know).
2. If not, is compliance unavoidable?
3. If neither 1 or 2, ignore, because it will be forgotten soon enough.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
V pleased that my Public Law article on judicial retirement (written with @bymyong.bsky.social) is now open access - see the link in Peter's post below. For those interested, some highlights of our research in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/did:...
bsky.app/profile/did:...
OBLS is committed to making our research available as widely as possible. So a pleasure to share that @patrickcobrien.bsky.social article on "The decline of the judicial retirement convention, 1950-2020" is now available open access here:
radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/...
radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/...
radar.brookes.ac.uk
November 3, 2025 at 9:27 AM
V pleased that my Public Law article on judicial retirement (written with @bymyong.bsky.social) is now open access - see the link in Peter's post below. For those interested, some highlights of our research in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/did:...
bsky.app/profile/did:...
It's a tight race. Callum still needs a bit of support from Team Dog.
Callum needs your vote!
October 30, 2025 at 5:11 PM
It's a tight race. Callum still needs a bit of support from Team Dog.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
Good morning from the adorable Callum, posing big questions this early in the morning. We love his gentle but determined eyes – he can tear your legal argument apart, but he will do so nicely.
October 30, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Good morning from the adorable Callum, posing big questions this early in the morning. We love his gentle but determined eyes – he can tear your legal argument apart, but he will do so nicely.
Callum needs your vote!
October 30, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Callum needs your vote!
"Dialoguing". FFS.
October 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
"Dialoguing". FFS.
Proposal: any academic making up a new word when a perfectly suitable one already exists has their output reduced by one whole REF grade.
October 29, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Proposal: any academic making up a new word when a perfectly suitable one already exists has their output reduced by one whole REF grade.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
I’m told Labour MPs have been told by whips to *abstain* in the vote on Nigel Farage’s ten-min rule bill on leaving the ECHR, which has left some furious. Whips’ arguments seems to be to just ignore it. Labour MPs worry it leaves Lib Dems/Greens looking like only they care on this.
October 29, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I’m told Labour MPs have been told by whips to *abstain* in the vote on Nigel Farage’s ten-min rule bill on leaving the ECHR, which has left some furious. Whips’ arguments seems to be to just ignore it. Labour MPs worry it leaves Lib Dems/Greens looking like only they care on this.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
In my Stage 3 briefing I invited MSPs 2 reject power 4 Ministers 2 "clarify" definiton of lg landholdings by 2ndary legislation. Meanings should b clear in primary legislation. Noone spoke to this though & for 1st time in SP, we have a <(or clarify)> in legislation andywightman.scot/2025/10/stag...
Stage 3 Briefing on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Land Matters
I am publishing this blog to provide a link to the Stage 3 Briefing I have prepared for MSPs in advance of consideration of Stage 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. The debate on the 392 Stage 3 am...
andywightman.scot
October 28, 2025 at 8:38 PM
In my Stage 3 briefing I invited MSPs 2 reject power 4 Ministers 2 "clarify" definiton of lg landholdings by 2ndary legislation. Meanings should b clear in primary legislation. Noone spoke to this though & for 1st time in SP, we have a <(or clarify)> in legislation andywightman.scot/2025/10/stag...
I really must stop accidentally buying two copies of the same book and start actually reading them instead.
October 27, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I really must stop accidentally buying two copies of the same book and start actually reading them instead.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
1/9 the video of my UCL current legal problems lecture is now up: "Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution". It looks at the civil service’s constitutional foundations, and how it might respond to a populist govt. @sirjjkc.bsky.social chairs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx3P...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx3P...
Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution
YouTube video by UCL Laws
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:33 AM
1/9 the video of my UCL current legal problems lecture is now up: "Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution". It looks at the civil service’s constitutional foundations, and how it might respond to a populist govt. @sirjjkc.bsky.social chairs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx3P...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx3P...
It is the twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty five, and I have just seen a house with Christmas lights up.
October 23, 2025 at 7:10 PM
It is the twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty five, and I have just seen a house with Christmas lights up.
Excellent topic for a conference, though personally I will not be touching "financial elements of the devolution settlements" with a bargepole.
Call for papers for a workshop on Economic Aspects of the Constitution: www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_...
October 23, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Excellent topic for a conference, though personally I will not be touching "financial elements of the devolution settlements" with a bargepole.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
Scotland remains in breach of a United Nations (UN) environmental convention, a new report has found
Scotland in breach of environmental convention, UN body finds
Scotland remains in breach of a United Nations environmental convention, a new report has found ...
www.thenational.scot
October 22, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Scotland remains in breach of a United Nations (UN) environmental convention, a new report has found
No Parliament (good or bad) can tie the hands of its successors. That does not make retrospective legislation good.
The Conservative party needs to go back to Dicey, who emphasised the twin foundations of the UK constitution on parliamentary sovereignty AND the rule of law.
The Conservative party needs to go back to Dicey, who emphasised the twin foundations of the UK constitution on parliamentary sovereignty AND the rule of law.
• Defence of the retrospective changing of the rules: "No good parliament can tie the hands of a future parliament."
• No doubts about the morality of it all: "The Conservative party is clear that immigration was too high under successive governments. We need to bring that down."
• No doubts about the morality of it all: "The Conservative party is clear that immigration was too high under successive governments. We need to bring that down."
October 22, 2025 at 2:56 PM
No Parliament (good or bad) can tie the hands of its successors. That does not make retrospective legislation good.
The Conservative party needs to go back to Dicey, who emphasised the twin foundations of the UK constitution on parliamentary sovereignty AND the rule of law.
The Conservative party needs to go back to Dicey, who emphasised the twin foundations of the UK constitution on parliamentary sovereignty AND the rule of law.
Irrespective of whether the UK or Scottish Govt should pay for this, the idea that "private visits" should cost the taxpayer £24.5 million is extraordinary.
Scottish and UK ministers are in a row about who should cover costs incurred during President Donald Trump’s visit over the summer. www.holyrood.com/news/view,sc...
Scottish and UK Government row over cost of Trump visit
Scottish ministers say the UK Government should reimburse them, but UK ministers say it was a private visit
www.holyrood.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Irrespective of whether the UK or Scottish Govt should pay for this, the idea that "private visits" should cost the taxpayer £24.5 million is extraordinary.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg
President Trump is demanding that the Justice Department pay him about $230 million in compensation for the federal investigations into him.
Whether he gets paid will ultimately be up to DOJ's second-in-command, who was recently his personal lawyer.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...
Whether he gets paid will ultimately be up to DOJ's second-in-command, who was recently his personal lawyer.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...
October 21, 2025 at 6:46 PM
President Trump is demanding that the Justice Department pay him about $230 million in compensation for the federal investigations into him.
Whether he gets paid will ultimately be up to DOJ's second-in-command, who was recently his personal lawyer.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...
Whether he gets paid will ultimately be up to DOJ's second-in-command, who was recently his personal lawyer.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...
Shit jobs only.
Tell me you didn’t ask anyone in Scotland about your product and without telling me you didn’t ask anyone in Scotland about your product name…
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jobbylobby.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Shit jobs only.
Clothing items that I would ban:
- open-toed boots
- coats with no sleeves
There are basic values in this country and we should stand up and defend them.
- open-toed boots
- coats with no sleeves
There are basic values in this country and we should stand up and defend them.
Robert Jenrick speedrunning his way through the career of Enoch Powell.
October 21, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Clothing items that I would ban:
- open-toed boots
- coats with no sleeves
There are basic values in this country and we should stand up and defend them.
- open-toed boots
- coats with no sleeves
There are basic values in this country and we should stand up and defend them.
I've been thinking about this cultural coherence thing and I've decided that my absolute red lines are that I will under no circumstances use the terms "holibobs", "crimbo" or "fur baby". I also refuse to watch Naked Attraction.
A Conservative MP tipped as a future party leader has been condemned for saying large numbers of legally settled families must be deported, in order to ensure the UK is mostly “culturally coherent”.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Tory MP criticised after demanding legally settled families be deported
Katie Lam said move would make UK ‘culturally coherent’ and that a large number of people ‘need to go home’
www.theguardian.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I've been thinking about this cultural coherence thing and I've decided that my absolute red lines are that I will under no circumstances use the terms "holibobs", "crimbo" or "fur baby". I also refuse to watch Naked Attraction.