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The impact of the Blair years on the rule of law, the creation of the Ministry of Justice and the impacts of the Clementi reforms were the among the subjects under lively discussion at the first Times Law Panel live debate, held at the College of Law's Bloomsbury campus in London in front of a crowd of students on Friday, May 18.
Click to listen:
Part I: Tony Blair and the rule of law
Part II: was the creation of a Ministry of Justice a mistake?
Part III: is Clementi overhyped?
Panellists:
Michael
Smyth, Clifford Chance
Kirsty
Brimelow, 187 Fleet Street Chambers
Katherine
Gieve, Bindmans
Philippe
Sands, QC, Matrix Chambers
Jonathan
McCoy, Vodafone UK
Chair: Nigel Savage, chief executive of The College of Law
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Aren't we all forgetting something. The Rule of Law only has to be seen to be done. ONLY!! If it really was to be done. There would be no D notices and many a Politician, Policeman and Customs officer would be in Prison. We only have ourselves and the Judiciary to blame for the continuing disregard for the rule of law. No one should be beyond its grasp lest we return to the Jungle.
Mark, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
I would like to hear what the panel has to say in the relation of the Nuremberg ruling over the pre-emptive invasion of Norway by Hitler's forces using a similar statement that both Bush and Blair used in Iraq.
How is it illegal then as by the rulings of Nuremberg on this but not illegal now?
Ian Watson, Gillingham, Dorset
I think Britain should emerge as a front player by shedding off its nationalistic interests ( I say this because of the nations maturity) to become one of the main pillars of Democracy in our world, I think it is time that Britain raises to correct the deficiencies in our global legal system,, if with our maturity - our values and principles we find a loop or justification for a war today ,, think if a rough nation equally picks a weak clause from our international law would we (UK,US and its war allies) accept that war or invasion justifiable ?? ,, I think not ,,Our nations including our media would cry foul and make up our minds to correct them either by wagging a war or through sanctions,, so in our case what should be our punishment? Though there is none to punish us I think ,, Briton should at least make some sacrifices as a nation to stand firm with all obstacles( Nationalists) to reform the UN and make it a true representation of our world
If only International Law is clearly made; drafted; adopted universally would such acts of illegal wars and Wars in general would be accounted,, If at least now steps to make things transparent arent made then i am afraid we might end up seeing even more bitter things,, I have not heard of a single nation (including any Media) trying to raise a clear -full-and proper debate about reforming the UN and making it (UN) more powerful-accountable and most importantly an autonomous one (I think the UN in its present form is more a puppet organisation than a true representation of the will of its global citizens and its nations)
swaroop, Birmingham, UK
Datis: yes.
Alex Spence, Law Editor, Times Online
Alex Spence, London,
Resolution 1441, upon which so much stress was laid in order to justify the Iraq war, was predicated expressly on there being weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
How can a U.N. Resolution remain valid when its entire foundation is shown to have been based on a misconception ? There were no WMD.
Without Resolution 1441, is there any legal justification for the war ? Is this the reason that Lord Goldsmith's Opinion hasn't been disclosed and the reason also why Lord Goldsmith seems to have relied on earlier U.N. Resolutions ?
Pieter kenrigg, Hong Kong,
Is it Philippe Sands whom in Part 1 so wonderfully put it that Tony Blair has a semi-detached relationship with the rule of law.
Datis, Milton Keynes, England
Excellent point made about the rule of law involved in a trade off with 'the national interest' (in this case regarding the Saudi incident and Iraq). This is a very worrying situation indeed.
Unfortunately for Mr. Blair his Legal legacy is most likely to be a mountain of court bureaucracy, and Terrorism Acts that defy both the rule of law and in some cases even the Human Rights Act that he brought in himself.
Chris, Corfe Castle, UK