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

This week we're sharing our live podcast recorded at Kilkenny Festival at the end of September. We visited Ireland to discuss the legal principle of liberty, specifically with regards to its application to the women detained in the Magdalene Laundries, with help from former Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland, Marie Baker.Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.Associate Producers: Lulu Goad.

What does the law say about industrial farming? Pigs are regularly being slaughtered via torturous exposure to carbon dioxide gas, despite stipulations that the animals must not undergo unnecessary harm. Although, the alternatives are not much less brutal.. So what is considered necessary harm? And when should the Government be taking action? Joining us to debate the ethics (and the law!) of the issue is CEO of Compassion in World Farming, Philip Lymbery. Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.Associate Producers: Lulu Goad.

We're divided over the abolition of the Chancery Division. Should we be preserving this historical title, or should we embracing the new 'Business and Property Division' (effective October 1)? Joining us this week is the Former Lord High Chancellor, Robert Buckland, to encourage us to consider the value of the law's legacy. 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

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

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

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

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

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

Dealing with pets on divorce seems to be an 'if you know you know' area of the law - and it's not a big area. There is very little in place to protect pets and their owners upon relationship breakdown and far too often, the process is worsened or prolonged significantly due to the fight for cat custody. With us to discuss what they describe as 'one of the fastest-growing and most emotionally charged issues in modern family practice' are co-authors of a 'Practical Guide to Pets on Divorce for Family Lawyers', Sadie Glover and Estella Newbold-Brown, as well as family barrister Sarah Lucy Cooper, the co-founder of a working group on pets on divorce and separation alongside Estella. 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