David Anderson Profile picture
Sep 2, 2020 9 tweets 5 min read Read on X
There is much to support In this thorough and impressive treatment by @Law_Commission of a highly delicate subject. It features one major shift from its 2017 consultation paper. Journalists and NGOs will like it, Government not so much ... /1
A new defence to prosecutions under #OSA1989 is recommended for disclosures that, though unauthorised, are considered by a jury to be (objectively) “in the public interest”. /2 Image
The report correctly notes that “it has been the firmly and consistently held view of successive governments that a public interest defence is not desirable in the context of official secrets legislation” (11.4). /3
There is some limited (but useful) analysis of Canadian law (11.60-11.66). /4
But having chosen not to consult on a public interest defence, @Law_Commission has unfortunately found itself unable to make a detailed recommendation on what it should look like. /5 Image
Legislators (speaking for myself) would feel more confidence in this recommendation if it could be precisely spelled out, and supported by an authoritative comparative analysis of public interest defences as they have operated in other jurisdictions. /6
Are there any comprehensive studies out there already? Or Is there a university department that could fill the gap before the forthcoming Bill is too far advanced? /7
Grateful for any suggestions. My mind, like others in Parliament I am sure, is open. So impact guaranteed! /8

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More from @bricksilk

Jun 30, 2023
My independent review of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is published today. The Act generally works well, but my review examines some specific proposals for change. .gov.uk/government/pub…
Govt announcement here gov.uk/government/new…
A one-page summary of my #IPA2016 review is here. Tl;dr the Act has worked well so far, but an amending Bill should address some specific points and by 2030, technological change will require us to rewrite the vocabulary of surveillance and its oversight. https://t.co/ZmqH05jSpggov.uk/government/pub…
Read 4 tweets
Jun 28, 2023
The rule of law is an undefined statutory concept. Lord Keen, who resigned over the “limited and specific” breach of international law in #IMA2021, and I sought clarity from our Law Officers in @HLConstitution https://t.co/aK3jpkk2ZL (0905:45-0920:15)./1Parliamentlive.tv
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5b…
There are well-established international definitions by the CoE Venice Commission and the EU (whose conditionality regulation of 2020 was the subject of a 25-judge ruling recently). So it would not be impossible to arrive at our own definition. /2
But it is clear from the Law Officers’ replies this morning that there is no common view within government, even though differences in relation to the issue of international law may have been pragmatically resolved. /3
Read 8 tweets
Dec 1, 2022
I've been looking at the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, added in its current form to the #NationalSecurityBill on the last day of its passage through the Commons. No html version available yet but it's Part 3 (ss 62-81) of the Bill: bills.parliament.uk/publications/4…. /1
I think I understand why the activities of specified persons (e.g. China, Russia, Iran and entities they control) need to be registered (cll 62-65). Hostile states need careful watching and hopefully this (and the penalties for non-compliance) will help. /2
Less obvious is why ALL governments and ALL bodies incorporated outside the UK should be required to register "political influence activities" including contacting an MP or issuing public communications aimed at influencing UK government decisions (cll 66-70). /3
Read 15 tweets
Dec 1, 2022
The long-awaited Ouseley report into closed material proceedings has now been published. tl;dr - CMPs have enabled more cases to be tried, but special advocates need better resources.assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl…
Most of the concerns expressed during the passage of the #JSA2013 are found not to have been realised in practice. But there are 20 practical recommendations for improvement of the system. /2
My own role in the genesis of #JSA2013 is summarised here daqc.co.uk/wp-content/upl…, at pp 416-418. /3
Read 4 tweets
Jun 13, 2022
The #NIProtocolBill is here, together with the claimed legal “justification” which is the doctrine of necessity. Sounds thin to me, not to say threadbare. gov.uk/government/new…
The Govt’s legal position is summarised here gov.uk/government/pub….
In short - necessity rarely excuses a breach, and only when (inter alia) the State’s act is the only way to safeguard an essential interest against a grave and imminent peril, and when no other essential interest is seriously impaired by the breach: jusmundi.com/en/document/wi…
Read 7 tweets
Apr 5, 2022
Useful 🧵 on today’s #CJEU Dwyer judgment - a notorious murder in Ireland that was only solved because location data was routinely saved for 2 yrs in case police needed access in a criminal investigation. /1
This enabled the crime to be pinned on a previously unsuspected architect, whose professional movements over a long period corresponded with those of the incriminating phone. /2
I was an expert witness in the case so will not comment further on a judgment that largely follows #CJEU precedent, whatever you think of it (other approaches are available: see #ECtHR). /3
Read 7 tweets

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