Listeners’ Postbag: Iran, Juries, and Too Many Lawyers

With world events continuing to dominate the domestic news agenda, Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC respond to a range of listeners’ questions generated by recent episodes. What explains the huge gap which has emerged between the broad consensus among international lawyers that the US/Israel attack on Iran was illegal and the mild or even supportive reactions given to Operation Epic Fury by many States? Ken and Tim respond to the many questions from listeners who disagreed with Shadow AG Lord Wolfson KC’s confident assertion that the attack was both legally and morally justified and debate the thoughtful article by Professors Yuval Shany and Amichai Cohen which argues that the move towards the “illegal but legitimate” justification presents a grave challenge to the Rules Based International Order - https://www.justsecurity.org/133292/international-law-crossroads/ What is the legal basis for restricting public comments on the active police investigations into allegations of misconduct in public office by Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and how can such comments be said to prejudice an investigation as opposed to an actual trial? Has the UK become too much of a “lawyerly” society and to what extent does the culture of legalism, process and institutional caution hold back policy making and ultimately economic growth? Ken and Tim discuss the expansion of judicial review and the link to populist disillusion with the rule of law. Finally, the duo reflect on the Second Reading Vote on the Courts and Tribunals Bill and Ken questions why the Government hasn’t opted to extend the Scottish system, whereby it is the prosecutor fiscal who holds the exclusive power to determine mode of trial, to England and Wales. -- 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices