AGM and John McDonnell lecture - 19 November

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The next lecture in this year's series of Human Rights Law lectures will take place this Wednesday 19 November at 6.30pm. John McDonnell MP will be speaking on "Holding the executive to account: Parliament and the Courts, an MP's perspective".

The venue for the lecture is Basement Lecture Theatre (GSB01), School of Law, London Metropolitan University, 16 Goulston Street, London E1 7TP. Please note that this is a change in venue from last year's lecture series, which took place at the University of Law. The rest of this year's lecture series will also take place at London Met.

The lecture will be followed by the Haldane Society's AGM (expected about 8pm). Members are encouraged to attend the AGM. All members are entitled to nominate themselves for the society's executive committee, or one of the society's officer positions. Members are also entitled to submit motions to the AGM. Members who intend to stand for a position, or submit a motion, are requested to send a brief nomination statement or your proposed motion to secretary@haldane.org in advance of the AGM.

Our long-standing Chair, Liz Davies, is stepping down this year. The Haldane Society wishes to express our most profund thanks to Liz for the many years of excellent leadership and work that she has put in.

 

Nominations Open for Haldane Society Executive Committee

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NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENTS, OFFICERS AND FOR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE are currently open. The full list of offices is as follows:

  • The Chair of the Society,
  • 2 Vice Chairs,
  • The Treasurer,
  • The Secretary;
  • The International Secretary;
  • The Membership Secretary; and
  • The Editor of Socialist Lawyer.

The positions of Secretary, International Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Editor of Socialist Lawyer can be held as a job share between two people.

The executive committee is not limited in number.  Any member of the Society is entitled to attend the executive, but only members of the Committee, elected at the AGM, can vote in executive meetings.  Our constitution states: "Any member may stand for election except that candidates for Officer positions must be at least 18 years old."

If there is a nomination for President, or Vice-President, those nominations must be made be a member of the Haldane Society.

Members may nominate themselves for any of the officer posts or for election to the executive committee.

All nominations should be submitted in writing, with a short supporting statement of no more than 250 words, to secretary@haldane.org by 5pm on 5 November 2014. Late nominations will not be accepted.

Elections will take place by AV (or in the case of the vice chairs, STV) elections at the AGM.

MOTIONS to the AGM can be submitted to secretary@haldane.org by 5pm 16 November 2014. Motions must be proposed and seconded by members of the Society. Emergency Motions which could not have been submitted in the ordinary manner may be submitted to the Chair at any point up to the end of the meeting.

 We look forward to seeing you at the Annual General Meeting.

2014 Human Rights Lecture Details Announced

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THE HALDANE SOCIETY OF SOCIALIST LAWYERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MANSFIELD STUDENT LAW SOCIETY, LONDON MET UNIVERSITY

invites you to attend our Human Rights Lectures 2014 - 2015

Wednesday 22nd October:

Legal Aid –a defence of the fourth pillar of the welfare state
Speaker: Matt Foot, co-founder of Justice Alliance, criminal defence solicitor with Birnberg Peirce and Partners

6.30pm - 8pm
Basement Lecture Theatre (GSB01), School of Law, London Metropolitan University,
16 Goulston Street, London E1 7TP.

Free entry. We regret that CPD points are not currently available. For more information and updated information, see www.haldane.org.

FORTHCOMING LECTURES:

Wednesday 19th November:
Holding the executive to account: Parliament and the Courts, an MP’s perspective
Speaker: JohnMcDonnell MP
followed by Haldane Society Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 3rd December:
Fracking: the protests and the court cases
Speakers: Tom Wainwright, criminal barrister at Garden Court Chambers; and Melanie Strickland, activist in Reclaim the Power and solicitor

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Haldane Society condemns prosecution of Indian anti-rape campaigners

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The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers condemns the treatment of anti-rape activists in Delhi by the police. Following the protest which took place on 19th December 2012 following the rape at Sheila Dixit's house, activists of AISA, RYA and AIPWA (including AIPWA Secretary Kavita Krishnan, AISA activists Anmol Rattan of DU and Om Prasad of JNU, and RYA activist Aslam Khan) have learned that a charge-sheet has been filed against them.

This stands in the background of a protest during which water cannons were used for the first time against anti-rape protesters and an action which led to the catalysation of thousands following calls for a woman's right to be "adventurous" and rejecting curbs on the freedom of women in the name of "protection". 

The South Asia Solidarity Group believes that given the long period of time between the protest and the laying of the charge-sheet, the decision to charge these activists is a political move meant to criminalise those fighting for women's freedom. 

The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers supports the women in India who are fighting for sexual equality and an end to patriarchal social policies. The Haldane Society also condemns the criminalisation of political protest and calls for the charges against the activists in Delhi to be dropped. 

Haldane Feminist Lawyers 2014 Reading Group

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The Haldane Feminist Lawyers will be holding our second annual autumn reading group.  Our book for this year will be Borderline Justice, by Frances Webber. 

Please find more details of the book published by Pluto Press and details of how to order here: http://www.plutobooks.com/display.asp?K=978074533163. You can order online or Bookmarks has confirmed that it is currently in stock with them. This text opens up a number of discussion points on the racism, classism, and sexism which is showcased in the UK's immigration policy. 

Our reading group will be taking place at the London Action Resource Centre  (http://www.londonarc.org/), whose location is less than 5 minutes from Whitechapel tube station on the District, Hammersmith and City, and Overground lines. The address is 62 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1ES. 

The sessions will be held every other Monday beginning on 29th September 2014 from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Timetable

1) Monday 29th September 2014 at 6.30pm

Foreword by Gareth Peirce

Introduction

Chapter 1: The War on Asylum: Preventing Entry

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2) Monday 13th October 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 2: Struggles for Fair Decision-Making

Chapter 3: More Obstacles to Justice

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3) Monday 27th October 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 4: You’re Not a Refugee

Chapter 5: The Erosion of the Law of Humanity

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4) Monday 10th November 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 6: Migration Management in the Market State

Chapter 7: The Fight for Family Life

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5) Monday 24th November 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 8: Prisoners of Immigration Control

Chapter 9: The Growth of the Internal Border Force

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6) Monday 8th December 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 10: The Deportation Drive

Chapter 11: Enemies of the State

 & Final Session and Post-Session Social

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You do not have to attend all of the sessions, and if you miss one, you will be able to attend the next one without issue.

Men are welcome to attend as well and LARC and the HFL adhere to a safe space policy.

Email feminism@haldane.org with any queries.

Haldane Society Supports the Extraordinary Session of the Russell Tribunal

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Israel’s Crimes in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge – Extraordinary session of the Russell Tribunal

24-25 September – Brussels – Albert Hall, Brussel

A few weeks ago, members of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, outraged by Israel’s terrible assault on Gaza and its population, decided to start working on an extraordinary session of the Tribunal that will look into Israel’s Crimes (including War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and the Crime of Genocide) during the still ongoing “Operation Protective Edge” as well as third States complicity.

During this session, that will take place on one day in Brussels on 24th September, our jury, so far composed of Michael Mansfield QC (President of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyer), John Dugard, Vandana Shiva, Christiane Hessel, Richard Falk, Ahdaf Soueif, Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, Roger Waters and Ronnie Kasrils will listen to testimonies from Paul Behrens, Desmond Travers, Pierre Barbancey (TBC), Max Blumenthal, Eran Efrati, Mads Gilbert, Mohammed Abou-Arab, Mads Gilbert, Paul Mason, Martin Lejeune, Mohammed Omer, Raji Sourani, Ashraf Mashharawi and Ivan Karakashian.

The jury will give its findings on 25th September in the morning during an international press conference at the International Press Center (IPC, Brussels). In the afternoon, the Jury will be received at the European parliament and address a message to the UN General Assembly for its reopening.

To register for the session (free), email your name and organisation to rtpgaza@gmail.com

Free Talha Asan!

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The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers looks forward to welcoming Talha Ahsan home to Britain on his release from custody in the US.  He committed no offence under British law and we question why he was extradited to the United States. He was detained for six years in Britain and then for another two years in the States, the latter period in solitary confinement in a supermax prison. No one should ever have to endure those conditions. He is one of the victims of the war on terror. We congratulate his family, friends and supporters on their tenacious campaign for his freedom, resulting in him being sentenced to “time served” and released.

For more information on the campaign to free Talha Asan, see http://freetalha.org.

Haldane Response to Delivering Civil Justice in an Age of Austerity

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The Haldane Society has responded to Justice's consultation on "Delivering Civil Justice in an Age of Austerity".

Whilst we understand that the purpose of the working party’s consultation is to find cheaper ways of delivering justice, we do not agree with the current prevailing economic philosophy that severe cuts in public services need to be made. We continue to argue that legal aid should be expanded, not cut. When the legal aid scheme was first introduced, in 1949, around 80% of the population was financially eligible for legal aid in comparison with less than a third today. We believe that financial eligibility should return to the levels that it was in 1949. The costs of this could be recouped through taxation.

Download the response (pdf).

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