Law and religion round-up – 24th April

The week that saw the formulation of the Blackford Paradox

… and in which we learned that Pinocchio and other such expressions were not acceptable parliamentary language when describing the Prime Minister, except where the substance of the debate could not be explored without such propositions being made.

Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges

In the debate on the Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges on 21 April 2022, Chris Bryant (Rhondda, Lab) (who recused himself from chairing the Committee on the basis of his previous statements on the Prime Minister’s conduct) alluded to the fact that as a former Church of England priest, he was probably “the only person in the House who can actually pronounce absolution on anybody”. Unfortunately it is not quite that simple; if as has been reported, he has executed a Deed of Relinquishment, then as Philip Jones explains: Continue reading