Peter Mandelson, Graham Linehan, Palestine Action, and the Nastiness of Elon Musk

The recent mass arrests at Palestine Action protests, Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally, the turmoil generated by the sacking of Angela Rayner and Peter Mandelson and the political fall-out from the arrest of Graham Linehan all contribute to a mood of crisis in UK law and politics. Can a weakened and wounded Government reverse the tide?

 

Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC begin with an obituary to their Matrix chambers colleague and friend, Conor Gearty KC, the esteemed Professor and barrister who died suddenly last week at the age of 67. They then go behind the headlines to discuss a host of issues which have combined to create a crisis for a Labour government only recently elected with a thumping majority, including: Palestine Action demonstrations-  the escalation of arrests under UK anti-terrorism laws and the legal challenges to these laws and their implications; the Cabinet reshuffle– what will be the impact on the Home Office and Ministry of Justice policies?; The sacking of Peter Mandelson and the failures of “due process”; the arrest of Graham Linehan – what does it say about the state of free speech laws in the UK?; is the Assisted Dying Bill in peril following the House of Lords’ debate? 

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Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political future. 

 

What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system? 

 

Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays. 

 

Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights. 

 

Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law. 

 

Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  

 

Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape. 

 

If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll love Double Jeopardy.