Monthly Archives: May 2013

Prosecution and the art of social media writing: reflections on McAlpine v Bercow

Posted on May 24, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

Today, the High Court ruled that Sally Bercow had defamed Lord McAlpine through a tweet, which could be understand to accuse him of sexually abusing boys in care. It follows that, for these reasons, I find that the Tweet meant, … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, good writing, privacy, transparency, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tentative thoughts on Woolwich Attack

Posted on May 23, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

The events in Woolwich were horrifying for all those present either immediately at the scene or vicariously through media reports. A murder in broad daylight with such intensity and ferocity is rare in the UK.  Beyond the horror of a … Continue reading →

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Vexatious requests guidance: weakening our power to make the state speak

Posted on May 15, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

The long awaited guidance on vexatious requests has arrived.  The guidance follows from two distinct events. The first was the Parliament’s review of FOIA during which the MoJ presented evidence that suggested council’s were limited in their ability to deal … Continue reading →

Posted in FOIA, public sector, transparency, Uncategorized, vexatious requests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The temptation of celebrity power: the Police and Jimmy Savile

Posted on May 10, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

The temptation of celebrity affects us all. In this regard, the police are not alone. Like many others, the police succumbed to the temptation of Jimmy Savile’s celebrity status.  They wanted to get to know a celebrity and a celebrity … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy, public sector, transparency | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments