Here we have a 76 year old ex-US police officer who is living in the UK on his US pension (not on benefits) who made the mistake of not getting a proper visa when he came to the UK to bury his ex-wife and overstayed on his visa. He is now told that he will be deported and is not allowed to remain to tend his wife's grave.
The link is to the case where Ken Livingstone appealed the decision of the Adjudication Panel for England.
The Standards Board and associated Adjudication Panel have done a lot of damage to democracy in the UK. The courts are, however, bringing them into more sanity.
The point about Ken Livingstone's case is that it was high profile and he also could afford to appeal. The Standard Board has a problem in that those subject to its enquiries face substantial costs that they cannot claim back.
This is an issue that needs further work.
In essence the Judge found that what he said brought him into disrepute, but not the office of Mayor. We do need the machinery of the SBE and APE to concentrate on things that matter rather than people being rude to each other.
The Standards Board and associated Adjudication Panel have done a lot of damage to democracy in the UK. The courts are, however, bringing them into more sanity.
The point about Ken Livingstone's case is that it was high profile and he also could afford to appeal. The Standard Board has a problem in that those subject to its enquiries face substantial costs that they cannot claim back.
This is an issue that needs further work.
In essence the Judge found that what he said brought him into disrepute, but not the office of Mayor. We do need the machinery of the SBE and APE to concentrate on things that matter rather than people being rude to each other.
Comments
It is pretty simple he just wants to be near his dead wife, sometimes laws just collide with commonsense & this is one occasion.