Better Human Podcast

I am delighted to share a full chapter from the audio edition of my new book, Emergency State, read by me. If you want to listen to the full audio book, you can download it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emergency-State-Freedoms-Pandemic-Matters/dp/B0B1MV62XS/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1665417631&sr=8-1 Some reviews of the book: 'Superb... authoritative, thoughtful and terrifying in equal measure' - The Secret Barrister 'A riveting account of how our democracy was put under threat during the Pandemic and why we must never let the Emergency State - all-powerful but ignorant and corrupt - take over again' ― Lady Hale, former President of the UK Supreme Court 'A book that needed to be written - and nobody could have done it better' ― Joshua Rozenberg

Today I am joined by lawyer and commentator David Allen Green to discuss the governments problematic Bill of Rights Bill, which is intended to replace the Human Rights Act

Barrister Harriet Johnson talks about her important new book on violence against women. For more see www.better humanpodcast.com

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shocked the world, with daily reports and videos of atrocities. But can international law help? What are the laws of war, war crimes and crimes against humanity? And will anyone ever be prosecuted? I am joined by Tatyana Eatwell, barrister and joint head of the international practice team at Doughty Street Chambers. More at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Where do human rights come from? In this special musical episode, I speak to Tom Blackmore, grandson of David Maxwell-Fyfe, the Nuremberg Trials prosecutor and founding figure in the modern human rights movement. As Europe again is at war, a timely reminder of how a previous generation saw human rights as the answer. For more see www.betterhumanpodcast.com

A bill is going through parliament which will make significant changes to judicial review - the means by which individuals can challenge unlawful decisions by public authorities. What is at stake and what will it mean for rights protection? I am joined by Kamla Adiseshiah and Pragna Patel. For more see www.betterhumanpodcast.com

This week, for Holocaust Memorial Day, I speak to the daughter of a Holocaust Survivor and the grandson of a senior Nazi and hear how they have come together to educate about the Holocaust. For more information www.betterhumanpodcast.com

The law of joint enterprise murder has been described as a dragnet because it can criminalise people on the very periphery of a crime. This week I am joined by Jan Cunliffe and John Crilly, two people who's life experiences have led them to campaigning against what they see as an unjust law. For more information and to support the podcast go to www.betterhumanpodcast.com

The government wants to reform the Human Rights Act. In this episode - record before the proposals were announced - Francesca Klug, Kirsty Brimelow QC, Dimitrios Giannoulopoulos and I discuss why our human rights law is important. Thank you to Goldsmiths Law for allowing me to record this live event.

The Windrush scandal is one of the most important and shocking in recent years, as British citizens were treated as if their citizenship never existed, losing livelihoods and sometimes, as you will hear in this episode, their very humanity. In this episode I speak to Ramya Jaidev co-founder of advocacy group Windrush Lives, and Anthony Williams, one of the victims of the scandal. For more resources go to www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Christine Burns has been one of the UK's most successful campaigners for trans rights in recent decades. How did she play such an influential role in persuading governments and the courts to protect the rights of trans people? How did her personal trans journey impact on her advocacy? This conversation is not to be missed. You can go to www.betterhumanpodcast.com for show notes.

The Better Human Podcast is back after a break, and who better to return with than the indomitable Felicity Gerry QC. This is a conversation which ranges from joint enterprise to Shamima Begum to the role of the trouble-making lawyer. More details at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

We are increasingly used to the internet serving us the things it thinks we need. But what is the risk for our privacy if our data is being harvested and used to 'personalise' the experience? In the final episode of the mini-series we are joined by Dr Elif Kuskonmaz of the University of Portsmouth. This podcast is part of a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton

This week we speak to Lorna Woods, Professor of Internet Law at Essex University, about how algorithms on the internet are 'personalising' the content we see and how this impacts on the rights to privacy and freedom of expression. This podcast is part of a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton

Albie Sachs is one of the world's most important living human rights jurists and freedom fighter. This fascinating interview between Adam Wagner and Albie Sachs was organised by JW3 supported by the Genesis Philanthropy Fund and is posted here with permission and thanks. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com - and please don't forget to leave a review if you enjoy this!

Can a computer judge a creative writing competition? Do automatically curated newsfeeds help or hinder free expression? How does creativity interact with rights protections? A fascinating and timely discussion with Brendan de Caires of Pen Canada, hosted by barristers Adam Wagner and Susie Alegre. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Shamima Begum left for Syria to join ISIS when she was a child. Now, aged 21, the Supreme Court has confirmed she cannot return to appeal against the Home Secretary's decision to deprive her of her citizenship. Her case is complex and difficult, as is clear from this fascinating discussion with Sarah St. Vincent, Executive Director of Rights & Security International. You can read show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

In the near future people will need proof of a COVID-19 vaccination before entering certain countries. Even more controversially, some countries are already preventing people accessing everyday services without it. To examine the ethical and human rights implications I am joined by Judith Bueno de Mesquita and Professor Wayne Martin, both of Essex University. For show notes please visit www.betterhumanpodcast.com

This podcast is part of a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton This week we discuss freedom of opinion and how it interacts with freedom of speech. Our guest is Evelyn Aswad, a professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, an expert in the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of opinion. She is also on the Facebook Oversight Board and speaks on this podcast in a personal capacity We are grateful to the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for a grant through their Spotlight on AI and Freedom of Expression (#SAIFE) project to support this series. For more details see www.betterhumanpodcast.com

This week's guest is the “Maven of Persuasion”, Dr Emma L Briant, Associate Researcher at Bard College with an extensive background as a professor in information operations, propaganda and human rights. Dr Briant is one of the key researchers who uncovered the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018. This podcast is the second in a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton looking at the often overlooked aspects of freedom of expression in the online space, the rights of the receiver – the right to form and hold opinions and the right to receive information. We are grateful to the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for a grant through their Spotlight on AI and Freedom of Expression (#SAIFE) project to support this series. For more details see www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Lord Sumption has courted controversy by claiming that not all lives are of "equal value". In this timely episode Adam Wagner discusses the importance of older people's rights with Ken Bluestone, Head of policy and influencing at Age International and Geraldine van Buren, Professor of International Human Rights Law at Queen Mary University of London. The discussion was recorded just prior to Lord Sumption's comments but covers similar issues. For show notes visit www.betterhumanpodcast.com

This week's guest is Meetali Jain, an international human rights lawyer and Legal Director at Avaaz. We discuss what disinformation is, how it spreads and whether it can be stopped. This podcast is the first in a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton. We are grateful to the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for a grant through their Spotlight on AI and Freedom of Expression (#SAIFE) project to support this series. For more resources and show notes go to www.beterhumanpodcast.com

This is the latest in my attempts to explain how the Covid-19 regulations work in England. I focus on Christmas Linked Households gatherings which are permitted in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 but not 4. In the second half I am joined by Dr Xand van Tulleken who discusses how to keep as safe as possible over Christmas. Most of this podcast is also available as a video on YouTube (where you can follow along with the regulations) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSDmC5E9TKg Show notes available at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

The Covid-19 pandemic helped expose inhumane working practices at garment factories in Leicester, including inhuman conditions and low pay. What can we learn about the human rights duties of businesses from this sorry saga? I am joined by Krishnendu Mukherjee, barrister and Indian advocate. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

On 5 November, England is entering its second lockdown. In this video, I explain the complex new rules and how you can avoid getting a fine of up to £10,000 for breaching them. I have also put this up as a video podcast where you can follow along with the text of the regulations - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnCWpoUr6oE For more resources see www.betterhumanpodcast.com This is not legal advice!

There is a bill going through the United Kingdom Parliament which will make it harder to prosecute soldiers for war crimes. Is it justified? How will it impact on human rights? And why now? I am joined by Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive of Freedom From Torture and David Allen Green, solicitor and legal commentator for a fascinating discussion. Show notes are at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

From Monday 28 September anyone in England who breaches Covid-19 self-isolation rules is subject to fines of up to £10,000 and a potential criminal charge. The rules are complex, have been passed into law with no Parliamentary scrutiny and join an ever-growing, and ever-more-complicated, set of coronavirus laws which regulate many aspects of our lives. In this episode I explain the law and how it works. This podcast is also available in video format https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJxVenUfEzQ Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Human rights can be illusory if you can't afford to claim them. For 50 years, law centres have been making human rights a reality and helping people experiencing crises to access a lawyer. In this episode, I am joined by Peter Kandler, founder of the North Kensington Law Centre, Julie Bishop, Director of the Law Centres Network and Annie Campbell, director of the North Kensington Law Centre. Show notes as always at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

The government has admitted that a new Brexit bill will break international law. Its chief lawyer has resigned. Why does this matter and what, exactly, is the rule of law? I am joined by David Allen Green, lawyer and writer. You can see show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

I am delighted to be joined again by lawyer and writer David Allen Green to discuss six months of lockdown laws, passed with almost no parliamentary scrutiny and imposing the most stringent restrictions on human rights since the Second World War. Can these be justified by even the most extreme public health crisis in decades? And if not, what is the alternative? You can read show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com. Nothing in this podcast is intended to suggest that people should not follow government coronavirus guidance or the legal regulations.

Right now, there is widespread and systematic persecution of the over a million Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim people in Xinjiang, China, including forced 're-eduction' in concentration camps. This is surely the kind of state behaviour which the post-war human rights system was designed to prevent. So what is being done to stop it and how can human rights ideas and institutions help? I am joined by Agnès Callamard, United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and Schona Jolley Q.C., barrister and Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

What responsibilities do businesses have to protect human rights during the COVID-19 crisis? In the second part of this episode I am joined again by barrister Krishnendu Mukherji to discuss the Leicester garment industry revelations and how companies can prevent human misery in their supply chains during this tumultuous time. You can catch the first part here https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/30---Business-and-human-rights-eglbid and get the show notes here www.betterhumanpodcast.com

How can businesses help protect human rights? What is modern slavery? Is the law tough enough on companies when human rights abuses take place in their supply chain? This week I am joined by Krishnendu Mukherjee of Doughty Street Chambers and Rae Lindsay from Clifford Chance. This episode was recorded just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the U.K. Show notes including some updates from recent months are at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

In this episode I am joined by Katrina Ffrench, CEO of StopWatch and Matthew Ryder QC, a barrister at Matrix Chambers and formerly London's Deputy Mayor. We discuss why Black, Asian and minority ethnic people  are 54% more likely to be fined by the police under Coronavirus powers, how this fits into the bigger picture of stop and search in the UK and what impact the death of George Floyd has had on the fight against racial discrimination in the UK. You can find show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com.

The police handling of sexual violence is one of the most complex and difficult issues in our society today. Why are rape conviction rates so low? Are the police doing enough to investigate? And how can human rights laws help? This week I’m joined by Harriet Johnson, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers. This episode was recorded before coronavirus so excuse us they a couple of the references are out of date - please check betterhumanpodcast.com for the show notes.

Can people who don’t live with each other have sex? What is “overnight”? And many other questions. I am joined again by David Allen Green as we take a detailed look at the newly updated lockdown regulations. As always, please make sure to follow the government’s guidance. You can find the two previous episodes with David here (Part 1 https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/18---The-Covid-19-lockdown-and-the-law-Part-1-ec8otc) and here (Part 2 https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/25---The-Covid-19-lockdown-and-the-law-Part-3-ee2oeo)

Every year, in every kind of setting where people are detained, thousands of visits take place to monitor for human rights violations. Those visits, to prisons, police cells, mental health hospitals, are by volunteers. In this episode I talk to four key players in the "National Preventative Mechanism" - Alison Thomson, ,Anne Finlayson, Dame Anne Owersand Louise Finer who tell me about their work and why it matters. This interview was recorded before COVID-19 hit so I have added a short extra interview with Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, Chair of the United Nations Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture, who gives an update on how monitoring systems worldwide are working (or not) during the pandemic. More info at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

I am delighted to be joined again by lawyer and legal commentator David Allen Green to discuss the latest lockdown legal developments and what a public inquiry into the Covid-19 outbreak might look like. We had a spirited and sometimes critical conversation about the law but nothing is intended to suggest people shouldn’t follow government guidance. Follow the government guidance! Further resources at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Human rights are tools which protect everyone from beaches of aspects of their essential humanity. They are all the more important in times of crisis such as in the present day. In this talk I start with the five years in 1946-51 which created the modern human rights movement and show how the lessons understood by the movement's founders are exactly those which we need to understand most today in the age of Covid-19. This lecture was first given to Limmud Together. You can find the slides at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

What is happening to migrants during the Covid-19 crisis? This conversation with Chai Patel from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants was both enlightening and worrying. The 'hostile environment' policy pre-existed Covid-19 but it made it harder to control the spread of the virus amongst migrant communities. We also discuss the disproportionate effect the virus is having on BAME communities, immigration detention and other aspects of the immigration system which are causing hardship during this crisis.

A month after our first coronavirus and human rights special, I am delighted to be joined again by barristers Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Nichola Higgins and academics Aoife Nolan and Judith Bueno De Mesquita. We have a wide-ranging discussion on   the International dimension of the crisis, the healthcare response and the lockdown. You can hear the first discussion in Episodes 16 and 17 at  https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/16---Coronavirus-and-human-rights-special-Part-12-ebopmk and https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/17---Coronavirus-and-human-rights-special-part-22-ebq4uv/ - we had a few technical issues so not everybody was present for each part of the discussion - sorry about that.

I am joined again by barrister Susie Alegre to discuss the many human rights implications of social distancing, including whether contact tracing apps breach the right to privacy, the risks of moving even more of our lives online and how to manage fake virus news online. Show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

One of the largely untold stories of the Covid-19 crisis is that many courts in the UK have for the first time ‘gone online’. This is for good reasons - the justice system must continue even if we mostly cannot physically meet in court rooms. But there are huge risks to fair trials and open justice from this sudden mass experiment with online courts. My guests for this episode are Natalie Byrom from the Legal Education Foundation and Penelope Gibbs from Transform Justice. You can get show notes at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

The response to Covid-19 is the key human rights issue in the world right now as states move to enforce ‘lockdowns’ of billions of people. In the UK the government has issued guidance on social distancing and emergency regulations which give the police extensive new powers over people's everyday lives. In Part 2 of this episode, I speak to Kirsty Brimelow QC about the new 'lockdown regulations' and the criminal law, and then with Aswini Weererante QC and Sophy Miles about the impact of the new laws on people with mental health issues. You can read source materials and other links at patreon.com/betterhuman

The response to Covid-19 is the key human rights issue in the world at the moment as states move to enforce ‘lockdowns’ of billions of people. In the UK the government has issued guidance on social distancing and emergency regulations which give the police extensive new powers over people's everyday lives. This podcast is a discussion of those laws. I am joined by David Allen Green, lawyer and legal commentator, to take a ‘deep dive’ into the new regulations. We recorded this episode at 9am on Tuesday 31 March so apologies if it has already been overtaken by events when you listen to this. Remember, everyone should follow the government’s guidance to save lives and protect the NHS. If you have any concerns about your own actions, there is a useful Frequently Asked Questions guidance on the gov.uk website. You can find other links in the episodes notes at at patreon.com/betterhuman

This week the UK parliament will debate the Coronavirus Bill, the most sweeping set of emergency powers since the Second World War. The bill will bring huge changes to mental health law, the entitlement to social care, burial and coronial laws, police powers... and more. The 329-page law will be debated in days rather than months. What impact will this have for human rights? In Part 2 of this coronavirus special I discuss the bill, and other issues arising from the pandemic, with an expert panel including barristers Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Nichola Higgins and academics Aoife Nolan and Judith Bueno De Mesquita. Part 1 is here: https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/16---Coronavirus-and-human-rights-special-Part-12-ebopmk

No recent issue has raised so many human rights issues in such a short space of time as the coronavirus pandemic. How can governments protect the right to life without unnecessarily undermining freedoms? What rights do we have in quarantine? Can good governance survive such an acute crisis? I am joined in this episode by four human rights experts from various fields, barristers Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Nichola Higgins and academics Aoife Nolan and Judith Bueno De Mesquita. In this first part we explore the utility (and limits) of human rights as a lens to understand the pandemic and the governments' response, in the second we look at the UK's new emergency powers. Part 1 is here https://anchor.fm/better-human/episodes/17---Coronavirus-and-human-rights-special-part-22-ebq4uv

Can our liberal values survive the pressure of a global pandemic? This week I interview Adam Gopnik, a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine and author of a new book on liberalism, A Thousand Small Sanities. We didn't intend to talk about Coronavirus but as we met last week the world was beginning to respond to the new reality. The conversation also broadens out so hang on in there if you are already a little Coronavirus weary. More details as always at www.patreon.com/betterhuman

Gay cake and free speech, Orthodox trans fathers, religious symbols in public places... what happens when fundamental beliefs conflict with other peoples' human rights? I find issues over religion and belief to be fascinating examples of how human rights laws balance almost impossibly difficult conflicts between people and groups. In this episode I am joined by Yehudis Fletcher of Nehamu and Andrew Copson of Humanists UK. I think it is a wonderful discussion. More details at patron.com/betterhuman

As the government’s plan to “update” human rights laws gather pace, and the calls to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) re-emerge from the Brexit fog, this episode explores the too little known story of how the ECHR helps keep illiberalism at bay throughout Europe. I talk to Philip Leach and Joanna Evans from the amazing European Human Rights Advocacy Centre about their work in Eastern Europe standing up against truly horrific human rights abuses. This should be required listening for MPs who blithely say the UK should abandon the human rights system it was so instrumental in creating. More info at patreon.com/betterhuman

Page 48 of the 2019 Conservative manifesto promised wide-ranging changes to the Human Rights Act and judicial review, two important tools we have for challenging decisions of the state. I am joined by Tom Clark, Martha Spurrier, Tessa Gregory and Charlie Falconer to discuss what is likely to happen and why we could be facing an important constitutional upheaval. This is Part 2 of a special episode in partnership the Prospect Magazine Podcast. You can hear Part 1, on the independence of the judiciary, over at https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/topics/the-prospect-podcast