Mark Elliott
@profmarkelliott.bsky.social
Professor of Public Law, University of Cambridge. Fellow, St Catharine's College, Cambridge. Blog: www.publiclawforeveryone.com. Website: www.markelliott.org
Pinned
The ‘othering’ of human rights and the agenda underlying calls for UK withdrawal from the ECHR
A recent conference marking the 75th anniversary anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights provided a sobering opportunity for reflection on possible trajectories of human rights prote…
publiclawforeveryone.com
New post
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
Thank you for contributing & for this excellent lens on the discussions. Externalising/othering constitutional (fundamental) rights takes the othering of the individuals they protect to an extreme. Migration debates are instrumentalised to justify a broader assault on human&constitutional rights.
New post
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
The ‘othering’ of human rights and the agenda underlying calls for UK withdrawal from the ECHR
A recent conference marking the 75th anniversary anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights provided a sobering opportunity for reflection on possible trajectories of human rights prote…
publiclawforeveryone.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Thank you for contributing & for this excellent lens on the discussions. Externalising/othering constitutional (fundamental) rights takes the othering of the individuals they protect to an extreme. Migration debates are instrumentalised to justify a broader assault on human&constitutional rights.
An interesting opportunity from the Constitution Society:
'The Constitution Society invites applications for a Research Fellowship dedicated to promoting the life and constitutional contributions of Richard Haldane (1856-1928).'
consoc.org.uk/haldane-rese...
'The Constitution Society invites applications for a Research Fellowship dedicated to promoting the life and constitutional contributions of Richard Haldane (1856-1928).'
consoc.org.uk/haldane-rese...
Research Fellowship - The Constitution Society
The Society invites applications for a Research Fellowship on the life and constitutional contributions of Richard Haldane (1856-1928).
consoc.org.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:18 AM
An interesting opportunity from the Constitution Society:
'The Constitution Society invites applications for a Research Fellowship dedicated to promoting the life and constitutional contributions of Richard Haldane (1856-1928).'
consoc.org.uk/haldane-rese...
'The Constitution Society invites applications for a Research Fellowship dedicated to promoting the life and constitutional contributions of Richard Haldane (1856-1928).'
consoc.org.uk/haldane-rese...
New post
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
The ‘othering’ of human rights and the agenda underlying calls for UK withdrawal from the ECHR
A recent conference marking the 75th anniversary anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights provided a sobering opportunity for reflection on possible trajectories of human rights prote…
publiclawforeveryone.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:11 PM
New post
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
Prompted by an excellent conference at @biicl.bsky.social marking the ECHR's 75th anniversary, I reflect in this piece on key themes about the likely trajectory of the UK's human rights debate, given the current (and developing) political climate.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/11/07/t...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
TEXTILE SHAKESPEARE is official-publication-date-minus-2-weeks (11 November) which is a LOT👀 (I can't remember feeling this wound up about other books, I have the concentration of a gnat at the moment🙄) but seems to be live as an e-book already so, available to your Kindle right now, apparently...
October 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
TEXTILE SHAKESPEARE is official-publication-date-minus-2-weeks (11 November) which is a LOT👀 (I can't remember feeling this wound up about other books, I have the concentration of a gnat at the moment🙄) but seems to be live as an e-book already so, available to your Kindle right now, apparently...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
This latest "barrister meets AI" disaster is something all stage 1 law students should read. It is vital about the key skill of case reading - you mustn't use AI to substitute for the skill of being able to find cases and find key content in cases:
tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-202...
tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-202...
October 17, 2025 at 9:03 AM
This latest "barrister meets AI" disaster is something all stage 1 law students should read. It is vital about the key skill of case reading - you mustn't use AI to substitute for the skill of being able to find cases and find key content in cases:
tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-202...
tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-202...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
NEW - UPDATE POST
Did the CPS make a fundamental mistake with the charging decision in the Chinese spying case?
How the CPS may have asked the wrong legal question and so made a wrong charging decision
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/did-the-cp...
Did the CPS make a fundamental mistake with the charging decision in the Chinese spying case?
How the CPS may have asked the wrong legal question and so made a wrong charging decision
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/did-the-cp...
October 16, 2025 at 3:56 PM
NEW - UPDATE POST
Did the CPS make a fundamental mistake with the charging decision in the Chinese spying case?
How the CPS may have asked the wrong legal question and so made a wrong charging decision
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/did-the-cp...
Did the CPS make a fundamental mistake with the charging decision in the Chinese spying case?
How the CPS may have asked the wrong legal question and so made a wrong charging decision
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/did-the-cp...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
Trying to make sense of the China spy case? Join @profmarkelliott.bsky.social, @ruthfox.bsky.social & @darcyxtip.bsky.social on our Parliament Matters podcast as they unpack the key issues and what they mean for Parliament.
🎧 New episode out tomorrow. Listen and subscribe here: pod.link/1714627828
🎧 New episode out tomorrow. Listen and subscribe here: pod.link/1714627828
New post, following publication of the Deputy National Security Adviser's witness statements in the China case:
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/16/n...
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/16/n...
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
Now-published Government witness statements submitted to prosecutors in the China espionage case cast only limited light on what happened. In this post, I outline six key questions that remain to b…
publiclawforeveryone.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Trying to make sense of the China spy case? Join @profmarkelliott.bsky.social, @ruthfox.bsky.social & @darcyxtip.bsky.social on our Parliament Matters podcast as they unpack the key issues and what they mean for Parliament.
🎧 New episode out tomorrow. Listen and subscribe here: pod.link/1714627828
🎧 New episode out tomorrow. Listen and subscribe here: pod.link/1714627828
New post, following publication of the Deputy National Security Adviser's witness statements in the China case:
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/16/n...
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/16/n...
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
Now-published Government witness statements submitted to prosecutors in the China espionage case cast only limited light on what happened. In this post, I outline six key questions that remain to b…
publiclawforeveryone.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:50 AM
New post, following publication of the Deputy National Security Adviser's witness statements in the China case:
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/16/n...
No winners in the China espionage blame game: Six outstanding questions for prosecutors and ministers
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/16/n...
An extraordinary outburst—directed at a small hospice charity subject to devastating funding cuts—from the CEO of a major NHS trust. I doubt that Arthur Rank Hospices's patients and families share his assessment of the 'value' of the oustanding care provided. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Arthur Rank Hospice media campaign left bad taste, says NHS CEO
An NHS boss says the hospice beds that funding has been pulled from were
www.bbc.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 8:20 AM
An extraordinary outburst—directed at a small hospice charity subject to devastating funding cuts—from the CEO of a major NHS trust. I doubt that Arthur Rank Hospices's patients and families share his assessment of the 'value' of the oustanding care provided. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A few preliminary thoughts on/questions prompted by the China espionage case witness statements, which have now been published. /1 www.gov.uk/government/p...
Witness statements in relation to alleged breach of Official Secrets Act on behalf of China
As the Prime Minister said in the House, he has carefully considered this matter and, following legal advice, the Prime Minister decided to disclose the witness statements in full.
www.gov.uk
October 15, 2025 at 9:26 PM
A few preliminary thoughts on/questions prompted by the China espionage case witness statements, which have now been published. /1 www.gov.uk/government/p...
I was pleased to speak with Sarah Montague on BBC Radio 4's The World at One today about the latest developments concerning the collapse of the China espionage trial.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
World at One - 15/10/2025 - BBC Sounds
News, analysis and comment from BBC Radio 4
www.bbc.co.uk
October 15, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I was pleased to speak with Sarah Montague on BBC Radio 4's The World at One today about the latest developments concerning the collapse of the China espionage trial.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Excellent, forensic analysis of the many twists and turns (so far) of the China espionage case.
NEW
Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions
How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions
How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
October 15, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Excellent, forensic analysis of the many twists and turns (so far) of the China espionage case.
Reposted by Mark Elliott
NEW
Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions
How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions
How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
October 15, 2025 at 10:21 AM
NEW
Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions
How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions
How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny
By me
emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
I was pleased to hear my analysis of the China espionage case being relied on by the Leader of the Opposition in yesterday’s House of Commons debate. parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Parliamentlive.tv
House of Commons
parliamentlive.tv
October 14, 2025 at 9:22 AM
I was pleased to hear my analysis of the China espionage case being relied on by the Leader of the Opposition in yesterday’s House of Commons debate. parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
New post, in which I argue the government's attempt to pin the blame for the collapse of the China spy trial on a single official will not wash constitutionally. Ministers must bear responsibility for an apparently deeply flawed decision-making process.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/13/c...
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/13/c...
Cock-up or conspiracy? The Security Minister’s statement on the China espionage case
The Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, has made a statement to the House of Commons regarding the collapse of the prosecution of two individuals who had been accused of espionage contrary to section 1(…
publiclawforeveryone.com
October 14, 2025 at 7:00 AM
New post, in which I argue the government's attempt to pin the blame for the collapse of the China spy trial on a single official will not wash constitutionally. Ministers must bear responsibility for an apparently deeply flawed decision-making process.
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/13/c...
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/13/c...
New post | Cock-up or conspiracy? The Security Minister’s statement on the China espionage case /1 publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/13/c...
Cock-up or conspiracy? The Security Minister’s statement on the China espionage case
The Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, has made a statement to the House of Commons regarding the collapse of the prosecution of two individuals who had been accused of espionage contrary to section 1(…
publiclawforeveryone.com
October 13, 2025 at 8:39 PM
New post | Cock-up or conspiracy? The Security Minister’s statement on the China espionage case /1 publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/13/c...
A very helpful post on the Palestine Action judicial review so far. In particular, I agree with @conorcrummey.bsky.social that the court's approach to the argument concering ultra vires/the principle of legality was problematic. /1
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/10/13/c...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/10/13/c...
Conor Crummey: The Principle of Legality, the Definition of ‘Terrorism’, and Palestine Action
Two judgments have so far been handed down in the matter of R (Ammori) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; the challenge to the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as …
ukconstitutionallaw.org
October 13, 2025 at 8:52 AM
A very helpful post on the Palestine Action judicial review so far. In particular, I agree with @conorcrummey.bsky.social that the court's approach to the argument concering ultra vires/the principle of legality was problematic. /1
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/10/13/c...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/10/13/c...
It will be interesting to see what Ministers are prepared to say about the China spying case from the despatch box. I am surprising that this morning's line to take still seems to turn on China not having been "designated" a threat/enemy by the last government. /1
October 13, 2025 at 8:23 AM
It will be interesting to see what Ministers are prepared to say about the China spying case from the despatch box. I am surprising that this morning's line to take still seems to turn on China not having been "designated" a threat/enemy by the last government. /1
Reposted by Mark Elliott
A letter from @crwerren.bsky.social @suzmd.bsky.social @storiesfromjack.bsky.social and me on the plans to allow cumulatively disruptive protests to be regulated by the police
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Anti-protest proposals put free speech at risk | Letters
Letters: Readers respond to the proposal to give police further powers to curb ‘cumulative’ protests, in response to actions by the proscribed group Palestine Action
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:36 PM
A letter from @crwerren.bsky.social @suzmd.bsky.social @storiesfromjack.bsky.social and me on the plans to allow cumulatively disruptive protests to be regulated by the police
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Really enjoyed this piece.
"Lawyers and academics therefore find themselves in the difficult position of ... trying to reason people away from a view or belief they never reasoned themselves into to begin with. We are bringing facts to a vibes fight."
"Lawyers and academics therefore find themselves in the difficult position of ... trying to reason people away from a view or belief they never reasoned themselves into to begin with. We are bringing facts to a vibes fight."
Alan Greene: Bringing facts to a vibes fight: Kayfabe and debates on the UK and the ECHR ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/10/09/a...
Alan Greene: Bringing facts to a vibes fight: Kayfabe and debates on the UK and the ECHR
It is now 25 years since the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) entered into force and far from this endurance cementing its legitimacy, the judicial protection of human rights in the UK finds itself in t…
ukconstitutionallaw.org
October 10, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Really enjoyed this piece.
"Lawyers and academics therefore find themselves in the difficult position of ... trying to reason people away from a view or belief they never reasoned themselves into to begin with. We are bringing facts to a vibes fight."
"Lawyers and academics therefore find themselves in the difficult position of ... trying to reason people away from a view or belief they never reasoned themselves into to begin with. We are bringing facts to a vibes fight."
I was pleased to speak to Sky News about the China espionage case, including the difficulties that arise from the PM's attempts to explain why the CPS dropped the charges following the government's failure to provide relevant national security-related evidence. news.sky.com/story/the-bl...
The blame game over China spy trial collapse - who is right and who is wrong?
Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry were accused of spying for China but three weeks before their trial was due to start, it was dropped. The pair have denied the allegations.
news.sky.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I was pleased to speak to Sky News about the China espionage case, including the difficulties that arise from the PM's attempts to explain why the CPS dropped the charges following the government's failure to provide relevant national security-related evidence. news.sky.com/story/the-bl...
New post | On China, the Official Secrets Act and 'enemies': Is the Prime Minister wrong?
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/08/o...
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/08/o...
On China, the Official Secrets Act and ‘enemies’: Is the Prime Minister wrong?
The Prime Minister has claimed that his government’s hands are tied in relation to whether China constituted an ‘enemy’ for the purpose of a now-dropped criminal prosecution under…
publiclawforeveryone.com
October 8, 2025 at 10:55 AM
New post | On China, the Official Secrets Act and 'enemies': Is the Prime Minister wrong?
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/08/o...
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/08/o...
Excellent (but depressing) analysis by @gsoh31.bsky.social on the fragile state of higher education in the UK. This passage particularly struck me. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/where-n...
October 2, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Excellent (but depressing) analysis by @gsoh31.bsky.social on the fragile state of higher education in the UK. This passage particularly struck me. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/where-n...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
This is happening up and down the country. It's heartbreaking and the Government needs to join the dots.
A report on tonight’s Channel 4 News about the devastating funding cuts at Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge. It is unconscionable to reduce access to palliative care while simultaneously contemplating the legalisation of medically assisted suicide. www.channel4.com/news/budget-...
Budget cuts forcing hospitals to pull hospice contracts
The UK government wants patients' care to be moved from hospitals into the community.
www.channel4.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:48 PM
This is happening up and down the country. It's heartbreaking and the Government needs to join the dots.
A report on tonight’s Channel 4 News about the devastating funding cuts at Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge. It is unconscionable to reduce access to palliative care while simultaneously contemplating the legalisation of medically assisted suicide. www.channel4.com/news/budget-...
Budget cuts forcing hospitals to pull hospice contracts
The UK government wants patients' care to be moved from hospitals into the community.
www.channel4.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
A report on tonight’s Channel 4 News about the devastating funding cuts at Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge. It is unconscionable to reduce access to palliative care while simultaneously contemplating the legalisation of medically assisted suicide. www.channel4.com/news/budget-...