Independent review into antisemitism: call for evidence
The independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges, chaired by Sir David Bell, has launched a call for evidence. It seeks views from people with relevant lived experience, knowledge or expertise of antisemitism in schools and colleges and will inform practical recommendations for the Department for Education and sector leaders on how effectively to prevent, identify and respond to antisemitism and other forms of hatred and prejudice.
You can submit evidence here. The call for evidence ends on 1 July.
Isle of Man: Assisted Dying Bill
As an update to our earlier post, we note that Manx Radio has now reported that the Ministry of Justice has decided that it is unable to recommend the Isle of Man’s Assisted Dying Bill for Royal Assent and that the Isle of Man Government has received a letter to that effect from the Secretary of State for Justice following departmental scrutiny of the legislation.
The Ministry of Justice had sought clarification of the arrangements for monitoring assisted deaths, safeguards against coercion and ensuring that individuals have capacity to make decisions and has concluded that, though the Manx Government has provided comprehensive assurances and commitments that would mitigate the legal risk significantly, they do not form part of the Bill. It is therefore the view of the UK Government that those matters must be addressed in order for the Bill to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.
According to the reports, Tynwald is to debate a number of amendments to the Assisted Dying Bill in June, in the hope of bringing it into compliance with the ECHR.
Abortion services and safe access zones again
The BBC reports that Clive Johnstone, a former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, has been found guilty by Coleraine Magistrates’ Court of breaching abortion buffer zone laws by preaching near a hospital. He was convicted under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023 of doing an act in a safe access zone with the intent of, or being reckless as to whether it had, the effect of influencing a protected person attending the premises. He was also found guilty of failing to comply with a direction to leave a safe access zone. He was fined £450 for both offences.
BAILII has published the judgment here: we hope to produce a note later in the week. [With thanks to Sahida Khanom and David Lamming.]
The Council of Europe and religious discrimination
On 21 April, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted Resolution 2647 (2026), Countering discrimination based on religion and protecting freedom of religion or belief in Europe. Inter alia, it calls on member states to collect data on intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion, to provide religious literacy training for public officials, law enforcement officers and the judiciary, to provide schoolteachers with training and guidance on religion based on a pluralist and inclusive approach, and to strengthen co-operation with media organisations to promote fair and accurate representation of religious beliefs.
Ian Huntley: funeral arrangements
Although we have never reviewed the funeral arrangements for Ian Huntley, “the Soham Murderer“, his murder at maximum security HMP Frankland appears to have generated appreciable interest in our post concerning the scattering of Ian Brady’s ashes, for which many of the principles related to the funeral arrangements (possession of the body, the need for secrecy) appear to be similar.
For closure on this story, which otherwise would have fallen outwith our ambit, we can report that on 9 May 2026, the Independent carried the story Soham murderer Ian Huntley cremated in £265 eco-friendly coffin as taxpayers pick up funeral tab. For the curious, the article gives details of the arrangements.
(AI) Claudia
Evolutionary biologist and atheist writer Richard Dawkins has stirred debate over artificial intelligence after saying recent conversations with AI chatbot Claudia left him convinced they may possess some form of consciousness, even if they are unaware of it themselves. However, Prof Jonathan Birch, director at the London School of Economics’ Centre for Animal Sentience, has said that AI consciousness is “an illusion” and “there is no one there”, just a string of data-processing events that often occur in geographically different locations. In light of our recent experience with AI, we would concur with Professor Birch. At its present state of development, the strength of AI lies in its ability to access and synthesize existing material, and rephrase a wide range available knowledge
Quick links
- Hansard Society: The assisted dying bill: How could the Parliament Act be used?: the Hansard Society adds a note as follows: “Together, the 1911 and 1949 Acts are often referred to as the ‘Parliament Acts’. For clarity, however, this paper treats them collectively as a single framework, referring to them in the singular as the Parliament Act”, Page 9, para. 2. [But I can’t think why that would add clarity: FC.]
- Metropolitan Police: Met announces new dedicated Community Protection Team as further antisemitic hate crime arrests made this weekend.
The 64,000 people who signed the petition against the use of public money to pay for this funeral were obviously not aware of s.46(1) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1946 which provides that “It shall be the duty of a local authority to cause to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has died or been found dead in their area, in any case where it appears to the authority that no suitable arrangements for the disposal of the body have been or are being made otherwise than by the authority.”