But maybe these cases are not so extraordinary. Every part of our society seems to be infected by prejudicial attitudes to rape; from the justice secretary's comments about rape last year, to Facebook pages that promote sexual violence, to the casual use

‘I have been using a pair of sock puppets for years,’ said Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, ‘The jury love it when I bring them out from under the bench to explain legal terms such as ‘habeus corpus’, or the difference between murder and manslaughter. In

Caroline Spelman made the urgent application for the injunction against Express Newspapers on behalf of her son A Cabinet minister has won a gagging order to hush up 'private information' concerning her teenage son. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman

As the war on terrorism gears up, governments around the world are already justifying repression in the name of that cause, while the Bush Administration and its allies send signals that they may look the other way. If Gen. Augusto Pinochet had not been

Dominic Grieve, the Attorney General, has blocked the release of Cabinet committee papers relating to devolution under the Freedom of Information Act. Grieve confirmed today his belief that their release would not be in the public interest. Instead, Grie

Forget David Cameron’s summit to tackle racism in football… whatever happened to his pre-election promise to tackle racism in society? Yet more than halfway into the political season he’s delivered less than Chelsea’s Fernando Torres. A few headlines abo

David Cameron has personally intervened in the Abu Qatada affair to accelerate efforts to find a diplomatic solution with the Jordanian authorities that would clear the way for the radical Islamist cleric to be deported. The prime minister will try to ki

Theresa May had a strikingly rough time of things. She was trying to justify Government policy – do I hear ‘inaction’, ‘timidity’, anyone? He has been let out of prison. Mrs May said she

Summer start for Blackburn Infirmary redevelopment By Sam Chadderton » Reporter Tweet DEVELOPERS behind a 116-home plan on the former Blackburn Infirmary site hope to start work this summer. Residents, councillors, housing firm representatives and Blackb

Before his case has even come to trial, Chelsea defender John Terry has been sacked from his position as England captain for allegedly making a racist remark against QPR player Anton Ferdinand during a game last year. The Football Association informed hi

Yesterday’s report about Jack Straw’s little faux-pas echoes the report from last Friday about Wales’ contributions to, and receipts from, the EU. Last week’s headline suggests that Wales pays more into EU structural funds than it gets back and is thus g

BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has raised concerns over a developer’s actions in seeking to expand Whitebirk retail park. Speaking in Parliament, the MP told Communities Secretary Eric Pickles that over a number of years, Peel Holdings had accrued a series of m

Lancashire doctor hits back over false whiplash claims Tweet A LANCASHIRE doctor has hit back at suggestions medical professionals could do more to detect false whiplash claims. The Transport Select Committee’s 12th motor insurance report, published last

As part of Britain's plans to distance itself from the European Union countries, Straw has called upon British Prime Minister David Cameron to repatriate £4.2bn in EU funds to Britain to make sure that people in Britain's deprived areas are better suppor

Pan Macmillan has acquired the autobiography of former home secretary Jack Straw. Macmillan editorial director Georgina Morley bought world rights through Georgina Capel at Capel & Land, with the book to be published in September 2012, at the start of th

THE Welsh Government last night rejected calls from former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw that European regional policy should be “repatriated” to the UK – in order to hand Wales more cash. Mr Straw’s argument – made as part of an open letter signed by a s

Two prominent Libyan dissidents are suing a former senior MI6 officer in a move which could expose the role of ministers in the men's abduction to Tripoli, where they say they were tortured by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's secret police. Lawyers for Abdul Ha

Lags using smuggled mobile phones to update their Facebook accountsVictims groups say social network access adds 'insult to injury'Figures revealed by Freedom of Information request, but are believed to be the tip of the iceberg of prisoners' online acce

Jack Straw, the former foreign secretary, will on Monday call on David Cameron to repatriate £4.2bn in EU funds to Britain to ensure that support is better targeted at deprived areas of the country. As European leaders examine proposals on Monday at summ