Law and Disorder: News, politics and more, from a legal perspective

The Lindsay Clancy murder trial has received international public interest both for the questions it raises around postnatal wellbeing and support, as well as the recent declaration of a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. In January 2023, Clancy, a former neonatal and delivery nurse, had been accused of strangling her three children, all five-and-under. Earlier this month, the murder trial saw a split jury, 11-1, which has meant the case is yet to see closure. Now, we can but sit tight, and confer as to what might come next.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad, Ewan Cameron
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recently released Channel 4 documentary exposed footage of Nigel Farage and other Reform UK party members celebrating secret new foreign donations, thanks to undercover filming by investigative journalism group Verbatim. Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office in the House of Lords, Baroness Simone Finn joined us at short notice to discuss the possible legal ramifications of these funding arrangements and express our dismay at the erosion of 'honorable' party politics.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad, Ewan Cameron
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From October, new laws will see the early release of 5000 prisoners. The laws, introduced by the previous prime minister, Keir Starmer, aim to address overcrowding in the prisons. However, Burnham has faced intense pressure to intervene - particularly in the case of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers. Sentenced to thirteen years in 2020 for the murder of PC Andrew Harper, the men are eligible to be released immediately under the new laws. So how must Burnham navigate this dilemma? And how do we fix the wider problem with our prisons?

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad, Ewan Cameron
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What state are our prisons really in? At 98% capacity but with a 68% reoffending rate (for shorter sentences), it seems punishment we're good at, but rehabilitation we are not, nor are we freeing up space for other convicts, which in turn would help tackle the great criminal court backlog. To help us understand where we're headed - or where we'd like to be - we're joined this week by the head of the Howard League for Penal Reform. Andrea Coomber KC.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Accidents happen all the time, but how many of us have taken measures to ensure the life support machine is kept on (or turned off) according to our compos mentis desires? This week we are joined by Celia Kitzinger, founding co-director of the Open Justice Court of Protection Project and an honorary professor in the School of Law and Politics at the University of Cardiff, to discuss the merits and demerits of the Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (ADRT), or living will, the legally binding document used to refuse specific medical treatments in the future if one loses the capacity to make or communicate decisions. Our conversation, of course, is kicked off by a scene from one of our favourite American medical dramas, The Pitt.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.