29.11.07
Are our Civil Liberties being unduly eroded?
[From the newsletter of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.]
This Mock Trial, chaired by Dr Magnus Linklater FRSE, was staged at the Society on Monday 19 November, before a capacity audience, who acted as jurors. The protagonists were Baroness (Helena) Kennedy, QC, who led three witnesses, Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, Henry Porter, Novelist and Journalist and Roy Martin QC, Former Dean, Faculty of Advocates, arguing for the proposition; and Lord (Charlie) Falconer, PC QC, arguing to the contrary, leading Lord Elder, House of Lords, Alistair Bonnington, Solicitor to the BBC in Scotland and Lord McCluskey, former Solicitor General for Scotland. The event was supported by the Faculty of Advocates, Messrs Balfour & Manson and Messrs Simpson & Marwick, solicitors, and the Clark Foundation, to all of whom the Society is immensely grateful. This interesting and entertaining debate can now be viewed on the Society’s web page.
[The audience, in the role of jury, voted before and after the trial. The initial vote was 94 in favor, 33 against, 20 undecided; the final vote was 95 in favor, 45 against, 7 undecided.]
This Mock Trial, chaired by Dr Magnus Linklater FRSE, was staged at the Society on Monday 19 November, before a capacity audience, who acted as jurors. The protagonists were Baroness (Helena) Kennedy, QC, who led three witnesses, Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, Henry Porter, Novelist and Journalist and Roy Martin QC, Former Dean, Faculty of Advocates, arguing for the proposition; and Lord (Charlie) Falconer, PC QC, arguing to the contrary, leading Lord Elder, House of Lords, Alistair Bonnington, Solicitor to the BBC in Scotland and Lord McCluskey, former Solicitor General for Scotland. The event was supported by the Faculty of Advocates, Messrs Balfour & Manson and Messrs Simpson & Marwick, solicitors, and the Clark Foundation, to all of whom the Society is immensely grateful. This interesting and entertaining debate can now be viewed on the Society’s web page.
[The audience, in the role of jury, voted before and after the trial. The initial vote was 94 in favor, 33 against, 20 undecided; the final vote was 95 in favor, 45 against, 7 undecided.]
