Sarah Davies
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sarahdavieslaw.bsky.social
Sarah Davies
@sarahdavieslaw.bsky.social
510 followers 270 following 290 posts
Lawyer particularly interested in tax legislation and policy.
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Reposted by Sarah Davies
twlldun.bsky.social
“Drunk raccoon passed out on liquor store floor” is my favourite Flaming Lips B Side
December 4, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
roberthutton.co.uk
I do sometimes wonder if I'm losing my mind. thecritic.co.uk/full...
But one of the many fascinating things about Badenoch is that she seems unable to accept “incompetence” as the answer to the question “why did the government do that thing?” This refusal is all the more surprising when you remember that she was a minister in Boris Johnson’s government. She has seen incompetence up close. Perhaps that’s the problem: when you’ve lived through the technicolour widescreen shambles that was the last Conservative administration, Starmer’s dreary disasters simply can’t compare.
December 3, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
alanbeattie.bsky.social
The version of the Gospels where the Samaritan crossed the road to kick the robbery victim in the head and go through his pockets for loose change was suppressed by the woke fathers of the early church.
November 28, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
davidallengreen.bsky.social
Trump v the BBC cont'd: an odd and desperate letter from the US media regulator

Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit

A new post by me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/trump-v-th...
Trump v the BBC cont'd: an odd and desperate letter from the US media regulator
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
emptycity.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
ianvisits.co.uk
THE ЯEFӨЯΜ ΡΑЯTY
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
sas-news.bsky.social
👋 Hi Bluesky!

The School of Advanced Study, University of London champions the arts and humanities. Working through our renowned specialist institutes and centres of excellence, we offer a rich interdisciplinary environment for researchers to collaborate.

Let's connect: 🔗 sas.ac.uk/
School of Advanced Study
Uniting research institutes and centres at the University of London to form the UK's national centre for the support and promotion of academic research in the humanities.
sas.ac.uk
November 16, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
davidallengreen.bsky.social
A brief thread on Trump renewing his threat to sue the BBC.

(Note I am not an American lawyer, this is perspective of an English legal commentator.)

>
November 15, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
generalboles.bsky.social
When this country finally sees fit to install me as a benevolent military dictator, my first act of business will be to ban the use of the word "raid" in relation to tax stories.

Second act - imprison Simon Jenkins.
November 14, 2025 at 11:10 AM
sarahdavieslaw.bsky.social
👇
davidheniguk.bsky.social David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 27d
You are essentially stuck between an ageing society desiring nostalgia and / or risk removal and a shrill social media cacophony demanding everything is sorted out now. With glib supposedly edgy one-liners far too often passing as serious commentary.
November 12, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
gabyhinsliff.bsky.social
If there’s anyone who used to work for the BBC who has not yet done a Substack on The Robbie Gibb I Knew, can they please file by close of business tonight
November 11, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
philsbodydouble.bsky.social
So let me get this right. We had to leave the EU to control immigration, and we are going to control immigration by emulating the stringent immigration system of Denmark, which is a proud and happy member of the EU.
UK to announce plans to emulate stringent Danish immigration system
Shabana Mahmood’s proposals draw scorn from some Labour MPs, while others want government to go further
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
cam.ac.uk
From the spires to the River Cam, beautiful #Cambridge glows in the autumn light 🍂

For everyone who studies, works, visits or lives here, this is your Cambridge from above.
November 7, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
henrymance.ft.com
left-winger wins: BUT WILL HE DELIVER

right-winger wins: WHY ARE THE LEFT SO OUT OF TOUCH
November 5, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
alistaircoleman.bsky.social
Except Barry.
No man is an island John Donne, 'Meditation XVII' (1624) Quoted in The Shipping Forecast by Meg Clothier (BBC Books).
November 1, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
danneidle.bsky.social
The fundamental problem:

58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.

67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.

In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
October 31, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
twlldun.bsky.social
Obviously I make no real predictions about the 2029 election because it’s 4 years away and I am not insane, which is why all those “ooooh look at the MRP, there will be a Reform majority of 276” posts were nonsense. Come back to me 14 months from polling day and we’ll talk.
October 24, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
andygilder.bsky.social
Would buy this if they'd let Brooklyn do the photos

10 pages of badgers in the dark
newsstand.bsky.social Newsstand Magazines @newsstand.bsky.social · Oct 22
A special issue from Country Life and what a milestone. It’s the Editor Mark Hedge’s 1,000th issue and it is guest edited by #SirDavidBeckham featuring a celebration about what the #countryside and the great British landscape means to him and his family.
--> www.newsstand.co.uk/121-countrys...
October 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
georgeperetzkc.bsky.social
Some important guidance yesterday from the Competition Appeal Tribunal for crowdfunded litigation and - many BlueSky users will want to note - for those who donate to such litigation. www.catribunal.org.uk/sites/cat/fi...
H. 52. CROWDFUNDING Mr Henry has sought to use crowdfunding in order to support the Appeal. For that purpose, Mr Henry established a crowdfunding website (the "Website") which is to be found at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-legal-fees-for-a-scottish-tv-channel#start. At the time of the hearing, some 24 donors had contributed the sum of £778 in order to help to defray Mr Henry's legal costs associated with this Appeal. As at the date of this ruling, 13 further donors have come forward, and the sum of €1,376 has been raised. 53. 54. Crowdfunding - involving the raising of finance for a specific litigation matter via an online platform - is a legitimate and potentially very useful source of funding. As a concept, crowdfunding has been recognised for several centuries indeed, Mozart crowdfunded a tour of 1783 by offering concerto manuscripts to those who agreed to finance the tour), while the crowdfunding of litigation emerged in England in the early 2000s.' In its recent report, Review of Litigation Funding, published 2 June 2025, the Civil Justice Council recognised the utility of crowdfunding, albeit that it recommended regulation of such funding, regardless of whether or not the donors had provided the funds on the basis that they would receive a financial reward if the funded litigation was successful. 1º Presently, however, crowdfunding in England remains unregulated, except for a system of voluntary self-regulation by the UK Crowdfunding Association and by judicial scrutiny and comment ex post facto. Certain aspects of Mr Henry's crowdfunding campaign on the Website were of concern to the Tribunal and merit some cautionary comment. At the time of the hearing, it was stated on the Website that, "Ofcom the UK broadcast regulator has been in breach of its statutory duties by allowing a company called That's TV to operate 20 local TV licences including 5 in Scotland that do not deliver a minimum statutory requirement of local news" (per the "Overview" tab). This statement was incorrect. Ofcom had not committed any statutory infringements in transferring the Scottish L-DTPS licences to That's TV in June 2018. This inaccuracy was pointed out to Mr Henry at the hearing, whereupon the Website was subsequently amended so as to state that, "Ofcom the UK broadcast regulator has failed to prevent a company called That's TV who operates 20+ local TV licences including 5 in Scotland that do not deliver a minimum statutory requirement of local news." Hence, the assertion of a breach of statutory duty by Ofcom was removed from the Website by Mr Henry (or at his direction) following the hearing. 55. However, there are other statements which persist on the Website and which remain of concern to the Tribunal. For example, it is stated that "Ofcom is fighting against the case even though the evidence is very clear", and that if Mr Henry is successful in this Appeal, "then That's TV will see all of their local broadcast licences end on the 25th of November this year" (per the "Updates" tab). In respect of the former statement, it is for the Tribunal, and not for the crowdfunded litigant, to consider the cogency of the evidence being adduced in support of any application which is made before it. In respect of the latter statement, there is no question of That's TV's L-DTPS licences ending on 25 November 2025, for, as set out earlier in this ruling, Ofcom has exercised its power, legitimately, to extend the period for which those L-DTPS licences continue in force by 12 months under section 19ZA(1) of the 1996 Act. The subject matter of the Appeal is not whether Ofcom had power to extend those licences (as it clearly does), but whether Ofcom should be prevented from renewing That's TV licences, pursuant to section 19ZB of the 1996 Act, from 26 November 2026 onwards. The inaccuracies referred to in the previous two paragraphs are directed toward the "pitch" of the Websi… ramifications for the proper administration of justice." While the Tribunal does not consider that the inaccuracies on the Website match the level of seriousness which has been identified by the courts in other cases, it is important to emphasise that a crowdfunding page should never be used as a "weapon" in a dispute as part of some sort of "lawfare", to adopt a phrase used by the Court of Appeal in Re A (a child) [2022] 4 WLR 25, [2021] EWCA Civ 1749, at [41]. The proprieties which the litigious process demands must be observed by both the crowdfunding host and by the litigant who is the beneficiary of the funding, in the interests of fair and proper justice. 57. 58. It is also important that donors to crowdfunding sites do not conduct themselves in any way that could be viewed as "improperly stirring up [another's] litigation", as it was described in In Re Trepca Mines Ltd (No 2) [1962] 3 All ER 351, [1963] Ch 199 (CA) at 219, for any such conduct could potentially be regarded as constituting maintenance. Although conduct amounting to maintenance or champerty has not constituted either a tort or a crime since the enactment of the Criminal Law Act 1967, sections 13(1) and 14(1), it remains the case that a funding contract which is so tainted may be "treated as contrary to public policy or otherwise illegal" (per section 14(2)). To that end, it is inadvisable for donors to publicly express views about the merits of a case on a crowdfunding website, or to make statements which could be perceived as having the aim of helping a crowdfunded litigation to secure more funding. It is plain from the Website that Mr Henry's stated purpose in bringing this application is to establish a Scottish TV channel himself. The Website states that, "[e]veryone who donates will be invited to the launch of the new Scottish TV channel that I am planning to launch using the 5 Scottish Local TV licenses. I have a detailed business plan for the TV channel and have attracted interest from po… "independent, truthful, TV service [which] is vital for Scotland's cause. I hope the tribunal decision is favourable"; further, "[let's bring these licenses into Scottish ownership and give people the service they deserve", and that "[w]e really need an independent news channel to get us over the line". While the Tribunal does not consider that these or any other of the statements made by the donors on the Website reach the level of "improperly stirring up" Mr Henry's litigation, it is nevertheless inadvisable for donors to express views on matters which go beyond the scope of the application in question which is being funded. Mr Henry's application in the instant case was for interim relief in order to prevent Ofcom from renewing any That's TV L-DTPS licences, and whatever the ultimate aims of Mr Henry's application might be, any comments from donors which go beyond the application in question must be cautioned against.
October 22, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
iandunt.bsky.social
EHRC anti-trans campaign loses its momentum - a week of absolute scenes has left the organisation in limbo. Here's what happened, why it happened, and what it all means iandunt.substack.com/p/frightened...
Frightened and desperate: EHRC anti-trans campaign loses its momentum
A week of absolute scenes leaves the organisation in limbo.
iandunt.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
lukebmtb.bsky.social
Knoll's Law catching up with AI use.

TLDR; 'the adage that “everything you read in the newspapers is absolutely true, except for the rare story of which you happen to have firsthand knowledge”.'

effectiviology.com/knolls-law/
October 3, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
katebevan.com
Are those tips ...
1. Stay indoors
2. No, really, stay indoors
3. Don't go out
4. Don't be such an idiot
5. Which bit of "stay indoors" didn't you understand?
metoffice.gov.uk Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · Oct 2
With warnings for strong winds in place for #StormAmy, we’ve compiled some simple steps and partner advice that you can follow to ensure that you stay safe during strong winds 👇 bit.ly/3VZqfqU

#WeatherReady
5 tips for staying safe in strong wind
When there is a wind warning in place, here are 5 tips for staying safe in strong winds.
bit.ly
October 2, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
phdhurtbrain.bsky.social
An old military maxim often attributed to Napoleon is “an army marches on its stomach” and I feel the same way that a university thinks via its library. The slow and steady financial diminution of research libraries and the librarians who staff them is, to me, a slow-rolling higher Ed catastrophe.
October 1, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
dieworkwear.bsky.social
this is how it feels to wear high rise pants
September 30, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
publicsectorlawyer.bsky.social
Well that didn’t take long.

No new inquiry into Labour Together, says elections watchdog www.bbc.com/news/article...
September 27, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Reposted by Sarah Davies
psurridge.bsky.social
First thought, was I know I'm tired but I didn't realise I'd slept for 3 years. This is an absolutely crazy way to use and report polling. It should not be getting this kind of priority at this stage in an electoral cycle.
anandmenon.bsky.social Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · Sep 26
They’re not on course to form the next gov. Today’s polling suggests they might win if there was an election today…
September 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM