Analysis of legal issues.
You can download the latest Unionist Voice Policy Studies report analysing the UK Government Command Paper on the NI Protocol released on 21 July 2021 Analysis of UK Government Protocol Command Paper [July 2021]
By Jamie Bryson On Monday (5 July 2021) a remarkable judgment was issued in Belfast’s High Court. When I say ‘remarkable’, it was not so for its wider significance, but rather because it illuminated how an infectious culture of both deference to unsubstantiated claims of the PSNI, and associated political considerations, have come to pervade […]
By Jamie Bryson It is an unlawful use of the prerogative power to deploy it in a manner which is contrary to primary legislation. That is an elementary proposition, re-stated at paragraph 55 of Miller (1). It is beyond dispute. Colton J found that the Act of Union conflicted with the Protocol. Therefore, by the […]
You can now download an analysis paper which argues that Justice Colton is wrong on his conclusion in relation to the implied repeal of the Act of Union Analysis of judgment in Allister’s application [2021] NIQB 64
By Jamie Bryson The controversial ruling came to a highly questionable decision on the unprecedented question as to whether the general provisions within a more recent constitutional statute can impliedely repeal an earlier constitutional statute. With virtually no guiding case law as authority for the answer, Mr Justice Colton nevertheless ruled that the Act of […]
By Jamie Bryson @JamieBrysonCPNI There has been a worrying narrative developing in relation to the NI Protocol (‘NIP’), namely that it would be acceptable for it to be ‘amended’ or ‘changed’. This is to either completely misunderstand or deliberately ignore the fundamental core of the NIP. The NIP has two distinct issues. There is the […]
By Libby Wells Today, the Abortion (NI) Regulations 2021 come into effect. Regardless of your stance on abortion, if you welcome Westminster devolving powers to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, then you should be concerned about the impact of this otherwise controversial piece of subordinate legislation. At its simplest, the 2021 regs amend the Northern […]
By Jamie Bryson The DUP leader and First Minister Arlene Foster has finally arrived at the realisation that the Chief Constable’s position is “untenable”. She has accordingly called for his resignation. The Chief Constable has refused. The DUP are now bound by their own logic; policing is so discredited, so biased and so politically motivated […]
By Jamie Bryson The Director of Public Prosecutions (‘DPP’) issued an extensive statement seeking to explain his perverse and politically motivated decision to effectively grant blanket immunity to all those who participated in the IRA show of strength at the funeral of Bobby Storey. Naturally when it came to a family funeral in East Belfast, […]
By Jamie Bryson Last week it was announced that an unnamed individual was to bring legal action against the Secretary of State if he refused to declare loyalist ceasefires over, and further suspend the licences of all those released under the Belfast Agreement. A solicitor for her legal firm, McIvor Farrell, said: “Loyalist paramilitary organisations […]