Value Added Tax ( 'VAT' ) is rarely an area of law which captures public attention. For most, it operates quietly in the background and is embedded in everyday transactions. Yet, from time to time, disputes arise which brings VAT squarely into both the legal and public spotlights; those disputes reveal how questions of classification, policy, and fairness sit beneath what might otherwise appear to be dry fiscal rules. The recent decision of the Court of Appeal of England and

E mployment law and labour rights are, as areas of law, known for their ability to develop and change over relatively short periods of time. They can cover a vast range of matters including: statutory sick pay, national minimum wage, protections from unfair dismissal and protections from unlawful discrimination. The landscape within employment law is set to for a seismic change over the coming years. This will arrive in the form of the Employment Rights Bill ( ‘the Bill’ ). T

Assisted dying and the right to die have been at the forefront of debate for decades. There have been many high profile legal cases challenges since the turn of the millennium including: Diane Pretty, Debbie Purdy, Tony Nicklinson and Noel Conway. It is, quite understandably, a highly emotive subject. Most recently, the debate has occurred before Parliament through the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ( ‘the Bill’ ) which was introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP. The Bill

One issue which can cause difficulties for parties to litigation, and indeed the Court, is when a piece of legislation drafted by Parliament is vague or does not cover a certain set of circumstances (whether that is because it was a novel point which has arisen out of unique facts or otherwise). In situations where a piece of legislation leaves a gap, questions arise as to how the Court is able to resolve such disputes and how to resolve the legal conundrum before it. One arg

What happens if the two Houses of Parliament are unable to agree on the terms of a Bill? This article explains whether it is possible for a party to block a Bill from becoming law.

Here is the third instalment of a mini-series of posts discussing what are, in my opinion, some of the most fundamental UK public law cases of all time. Today’s case is: Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service [1984] UKHL 9, simply known as “the GCHQ case”. The facts are as follows. In December 1983, the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher, decided that any and all employees of the GCHQ were prohibited from joining any trade union. This d

Our second case is Entick v Carrington [1765] EWHC KB J98, which is one of my favourite cases. It can be summed up in one line: “nobody is above the law”. The facts of this case are as follows. On 11 November 1762, the King’s Chief Messenger (Mr Carrington) was accompanied by three other King’s messengers. They were tasked with breaking into the home of Mr Entick (a writer) on the orders of the Secretary of State. The reason for the break in was because Mr Entick was suspecte

Newell Legal are delighted to announce that Jake's petition, whereby he seeks to challenge the relevance of The Vagrancy Act 1824, has...

UK politics has been the centre of attention over the last few years, largely due to the growing tensions between and within the political parties. Further to this, there is growing disillusion from voters. There have also been serious deficiencies in governmental policy and action. It seems that those tensions have finally boiled over; no fewer than eight Labour MPs and three Conservative MPs have left their respective parties to form “ the Independent Group ”. Additionally

On first consideration, there appears to be a tenuous connection between human rights, ethics, and sport. Since the 20th century, the understanding of, and protection afforded by, human rights has developed significantly. As a result, the overlap between the sport and human rights has become much more apparent, particularly in recent events. The connection between ethics and sport also becomes clearer upon close examination. This article will focus on the: 2014 FIFA World Cup