United Kingdom: Human Rights

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Government regulation and public sector law thought leadership, articles, podcasts, videos and webinars from expert sources across the legal world. Explore insights covering topics such as fiscal and monetary policy, human rights, foreign investment, government contracts and procurement, and constitutional and administrative law.
Article
Joint Committee On Human Rights Publishes Report On The Regulation Of AI
The Joint Committee on Human Rights has published a comprehensive report examining whether existing UK law adequately protects human rights in the context of artificial intelligence, identifying critical gaps in equality, privacy, and remedy rights. The committee calls for sweeping legislative reform through a new AI Bill and the establishment of an independent oversight body with statutory powers to test, approve, and prohibit AI systems based on risk levels. The report highlights concerns about opaque AI
United Kingdom Privacy
AO
A&O Shearman
Article
Lasting Powers Of Attorney, Liberty And The Right Forum: Reflections On The Sir Ranulph Fiennes Reports
The high-profile case of Sir Ranulph Fiennes has sparked debate about the legal boundaries of Lasting Powers of Attorney and deprivation of liberty safeguards. When does an attorney's authority end, and what role does the Court of Protection play in resolving disputes over care arrangements for vulnerable individuals? This case highlights critical questions that affect anyone involved in making or acting under health and welfare decisions for incapacitated relatives.
United Kingdom Commercial
BH
Boodle Hatfield
Article
Can I Move Abroad With My Child After Separation? International Child Relocation Explained
Keystone Law provides insights into family law matters, including divorce proceedings, third-party interventions in family disputes, and the impact of executive orders on birthright citizenship for UK parents pursuing surrogacy in the United States. The firm offers guidance on navigating complex family legal situations involving businesses, trusts, and international considerations.
United Kingdom Family
K
Keystone Law
Article
KCSIE 2026 – The Main Changes And Action Required: Gender Questioning Children
The 2026 update to Keeping children safe in education introduces the most significant changes in years, requiring all schools to review their safeguarding policies and operational practices. Among the most substantive changes is the new requirement for all staff to read Part One in full, with the previously condensed version now withdrawn. The guidance introduces comprehensive new provisions for supporting gender questioning children through a safeguarding lens, establishing clear protocols for social trans
United Kingdom Consumer
WS
Winckworth Sherwood
Article
Surrogacy Law Reform: Are We Still Waiting For Change?
Three years after the Law Commission proposed sweeping changes to surrogacy law in England and Wales, reform remains stalled despite a petition signed by over 113,000 people calling for intended parents to be recognised as legal parents from birth. While MPs acknowledge the current system creates difficulties for families, the government has made clear that surrogacy reform is not a legislative priority, leaving families to navigate a legal framework built on decades-old legislation.
United Kingdom Family
MR
Mills & Reeve
Article
Maternity Safety: What Would A Trauma-informed Public Inquiry Look Like?
The publication of Donna Ockenden's final report into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has reignited debate about whether a statutory public inquiry into maternity and neonatal services across England is needed. This article examines how such an inquiry could be designed to investigate rigorously while minimizing trauma to affected families, drawing on lessons from the Ockenden review's trauma-informed engagement methodology.
United Kingdom Government
TLT
Article
SD&GR Series: Updated EHRC Code For Services, Public Functions And Associations Launched
Weightmans provides guidance on the Updated Services Code for sex discrimination and gender reassignment, which came into force on August 5th, 2026. Organizations are advised to audit their facilities, assess compliance risks, and carefully balance the needs of staff and service users across protected characteristics including sex, gender reassignment, disability, and religious beliefs.
United Kingdom Employment
W
Weightmans
Article
When And How To Consult On Service Changes - The Court Of Appeal Provides Some Clarification
The Court of Appeal has delivered a significant ruling emphasising that local authorities must consult vulnerable service users before closing facilities central to their daily lives. In BUJ v London Borough of Bromley, the court quashed a council's decision to close an adult education centre, finding that affected learners with disabilities had a legitimate expectation of consultation. What does this mean for public bodies planning service changes or property disposals?
United Kingdom Government
W
Weightmans
Article
First Post-AGNI Decision On A 15 Year Old
The High Court's decision in Re Mustafa provides the first reported post-AGNI guidance on deprivation of liberty for children, examining how the multifactorial approach applies when physical restraint is regularly used in residential care settings. The case addresses critical questions about valid consent, restraint practices, and Article 5 safeguards for children lacking Gillick competence, while highlighting ongoing uncertainties about competence assessment and appropriate safeguards across different care
United Kingdom Family
MR
Mills & Reeve
Article
When AI Transparency Tools Might Endanger Human Rights
A global organization launches a critical report examining how AI transparency tools and content provenance systems, designed to promote trust and verify authenticity, could paradoxically be weaponized against journalists, human rights defenders, and documentary filmmakers in hostile political environments. The analysis explores the unintended surveillance risks embedded in digital watermarking and content credential technologies now being integrated into cameras, mobile devices, and distribution platforms.
United Kingdom IP
MC
Marks & Clerk
Article
Proposed Amendments To The UK Modern Slavery Act: New Financial Penalties And Enhanced Reporting Obligations
The UK government proposed a number of amendments to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA) as part of the Immigration and Asylum Bill (the Bill) it introduced on 30 June 2026. This included changes to Section 54 of the MSA, which currently imposes a duty to prepare a modern slavery statement for each financial year on companies.
United Kingdom Commercial
SA
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
Article
Briefing On What To Do When UK Visa Application Is Invalid
Immigration law expert Alex Piletska examines the critical distinction between validity and eligibility in UK visa applications, exploring when applications can be deemed invalid by the Home Office and whether such determinations can be remedied. The briefing provides essential guidance for immigration practitioners on navigating validity requirements under Paragraph 34 of the Immigration Rules and best practices when applications are incorrectly invalidated.
United Kingdom Immigration
VG
Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law
Article
Why A Public Inquiry Into Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Activities Must Remain On The Table
Recent reports have reignited debate over whether a public inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein's activities in the UK should take place, following apparently conflicting messages from the Government. Seetal Patel, a solicitor specialising in abuse claims, examines why survivors' concerns must remain at the heart of the debate and argues that transparency, accountability and meaningful action are essential for those seeking answers.
United Kingdom Criminal
RB
Rothera Bray
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