Human beings collect words and phrases like jackdaw’s hoard shiny things, and communities use language, consciously and unconsciously, as a means of creating and maintaining collective identity. Whether this phenomenon is neutral, positive or deeply destructive...
Category: News
Cornish Weddings: Minority Languages and Law
Cornwall is a beautiful and culturally very distinct part of the British Isles. In 1973, a Royal Commission on the Constitution (the Kilbrandon Report) noted that it had an identity and uniqueness which set it apart from other English counties. They struggled,...
The Shamima Begum Ruling: the Right to a Fair Hearing
The image of Shamima Begum is familiar to most people in the UK, and many around the globe. The twists and turns in her tragic story have played out in front of the world’s media, since she ran away as a fifteen year old to be part of ISIL (the so-called Islamic...
High and Low Constitutional Culture
If you eat in a restaurant in the US, the waiter is likely to be somewhat aggrieved if you fail to leave a tip, in contrast, if you try to leave a tip in Japan it probably won't be accepted. The rules of engagement for the same interaction are different within...
Capitol Invasion and Constitutional Culture
At the time of writing the dust has still not cleared a mob of pro-Trump supporters storming the Capitol Building. As the world looked on in disbelief, a motley crew of enraged loyalists to the outgoing President surged forwards and, quite literally, ran riot. Many...
Magna Carta, Myths and Freemen on the Land
Government policies aimed at tackling Covid-19 remain a source of boundless controversy. Whilst there are many voices arguing for stricter controls and fewer concessions, there are equally vociferous protests against the regulations. This blog aims to explore one...
Freedom of Expression, Ideas and Universities.
By the look of it, it seems that the curse of the White Witch, “always winter and never Christmas”, has left Narnia and visited the United Kingdom. Changed regulations in response to a mutation in the coronavirus have meant the cancellation of festivities and family...
More Catholic than the Pope: Same sex unions, families and civil rights
From the moment of his election, Pope Francis was heralded by many as a symbol of hope, progress and even healing. Neither was this response confined to Roman Catholic circles, or even people of faith, and many secular commentators welcomed the social and political...
When is a marriage not a marriage? Registration, religious weddings and nullity
Long story short is that in AG v Akhter [2020] EWCA Civ 122 (Appeal), the Court of Appeal recently reversed a decision by a lower court, which had very creatively interpreted legislation in order to allow parties to certain unregistered religious marriages, access to...
What are Human Rights?
The language of human rights now pops up everywhere, from cereal packets to Twitter, and it is impossible to click onto social media or turn on the news without hearing the phrase. However, what does it actually mean? Like many common expressions, it depends on who...
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