Category: Law

Blogging, Law, Metro, Northern Ireland life, Police, Taxi, Translink, TransportLeave a comment
Highway Code for Northern Ireland Sections 137 & 138

Taxi drivers: useful but sometimes ignorant

Michael McFarland Campbell

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You know how it is, you are out somewhere and you need to get home. Or perhaps you are at home and you need to get somewhere else quickly. You consider the options:

  1. I walk there.
  2. I get the ‘bus there.
  3. I get a taxi there.

Well, sometimes walking is not quick enough – or the distance is too great. ‘Buses are not running where you need them to go, or they are too infrequent. So you decide that you are going to spend the extra money required to buy the professional services of a driver and order a taxi.

That’s right, I said professional services. Continue reading “Taxi drivers: useful but sometimes ignorant”

Conservatives, England, Human Rights, Law, London, Metropolitan Police, Police, politics, United KingdomLeave a comment

Is banning all marches really justified? Why not learn from N.Ireland?

Michael McFarland Campbell

So HM’s Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department has decided to ban all marches in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and four neighbouring London Boroughs for a period of 30 days. Why is this felt necessary? Because the Metropolitan Police applied for this ban as they consider that it would result in serious public disorder and that placing restrictions or conditions on such a march – for example its duration, location and size – would not be enough to prevent the disorder Will this really make a difference? And with it all marches are banned because the … Continue reading Is banning all marches really justified? Why not learn from N.Ireland?

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Conservatives, England, Law, LGBT, LGBT History Month, London, news, politics, United Kingdom, WalesLeave a comment

did Sir Humphrey give the advice on Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill?

Michael McFarland Campbell

For many gay men in the United Kingdom, there was light at the end of a tunnel in the Government’s Protection of Freedoms Bill.

The Rt Hon David Cameron, wrote in an exclusive for Pink News:

We will change the law so that any past convictions for consensual homosexual sexual activities, which have since become lawful, will be treated as spent, and will not be disclosed on a criminal record check when applying for a job. This is a question of justice – and it’s right that we should change the law and wipe the slate clean.

Unfortunately, it seems that once again HMG is being economical with the truth. Continue reading “did Sir Humphrey give the advice on Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill?”

Heraldry, Human Rights, Justice, Law, LGBT, Uganda2 Comments

‘When you plant a seed, before it dies it won’t produce’ – prophetic words from David Kato

Michael McFarland Campbell

Some of us are very lucky, at worst we may get abuse shouted at us in the street. But in Uganda, you can end up dead as a result of fighting for your human rights. David Kato, Uganadan gay activist and ‘grandfather of the kuchus‘ (as gay people in Uganda call themselves) led the campaign for gay rights in Uganda for more than ten years. For his beliefs he was gaoled. Only three weeks ago he won a case against a newspaper that called for him to be hanged. On Wednesday he appears to have been murdered for his beliefs: … Continue reading ‘When you plant a seed, before it dies it won’t produce’ – prophetic words from David Kato

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GMP, Justice, Law, Northern Ireland, Police, PSNILeave a comment

Out for a night with mates and it’s all gone a bit wrong?

Michael McFarland Campbell

Not got somewhere to stay after your bust up in the club after you chatted that girl up – the one who’s boyfriend was the DJ? During the fisticuffs the constabulary arrive and take you off the hands of the club owner. Fear not, you will not be without somewhere to stay. You will be able to stay in an hostelry which is open 24 / 7, 365 days a year. disinfected on a regular basis and is subject to regular inspections. Select meals provided Some cells en-suite All major credit cards and belongings confiscated Telephone (one call per guest) … Continue reading Out for a night with mates and it’s all gone a bit wrong?

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Human Rights, Justice, Law1 Comment

Ireland urged to resist warped court decision on abortion

Michael McFarland Campbell

With the decision reached in the European Court of Human Rights in the A, B, and C case of three Irish women who challenged the constitutional protection for children before birth, there is a grave danger that the Houses of the Oireachtas will feel that they must change the law in Éire. John Smeaton of the Society for Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) says that this would be wrong, and he is urging the people of Ireland to resist pressure from the ECHR to change.

The court rejected the legal arguments of the first two women, but said that the third woman’s right to a private life under article 8 of the European Convention had been violated by a failure of the Irish state to make her rights regarding abortion* accessible to her. The court claimed that the Irish Constitution gives women a right to abortion under the Constitution Continue reading “Ireland urged to resist warped court decision on abortion”

Drugs, Education, Health, Justice, Law, Northern Ireland life, Police, politicsLeave a comment

prohibition is hurting the world – let’s bring some radical thinking to bear

Michael McFarland Campbell

Nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this. Albert Einstein (on US Prohibition) Prohibition in the US Prohibition has been tried before, and for many reasons it was judged not to have worked. A resolution calling for an amendment to accomplish nationwide [in the US] Prohibition was introduced in Congress and passed by both houses in December 1917. By January 16, 1919, the Amendment had been ratified … Continue reading prohibition is hurting the world – let’s bring some radical thinking to bear

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Belfast, Enniskillen, Law, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Police, PSNI, Regional DevelopmentLeave a comment

blue, yellow, and red: but not parking in Bucharest

Michael McFarland Campbell

Badge Holders * may usually park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours except where there is a ban on loading or unloading and at a few locations where local schemes apply. A guide for Blue Badge holders published by Roads Service, 2003 Blue Badges: Park where you like It seems that there are some rules which are unenforceable in those parts of Northern Ireland that are not in the Greater Belfast area. Those of us who are lucky enough to be deemed not to need a blue badge may not know all the rules for … Continue reading blue, yellow, and red: but not parking in Bucharest

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Law, London, Metropolitan Police, news, Northern Ireland life, PoliceLeave a comment

a worrying sign of things to come…

Michael McFarland Campbell

I was not at the protests in London this week, but having just watched a video on Oxford Spring I am very glad that I was not. It appears that the Mounted Section of the Metropolitan Police charged into the crowd. As Oxford Spring puts it: There is no excuse for this mounted police charge into the crowd. No, it is not on the scale of the Miner’s Strikes or the Peterloo Massacre but it is still grossly disproportionate to what the police officers faced. The Met’s police chief yesterday stated clearly that there was no cavalry charge. If he … Continue reading a worrying sign of things to come…

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