The Open University

It’s time to modernise the UK’s road rules – but adding offences for cyclists is no place to start

4 October 2017

The UK is set to review the criminal laws and safety issues relating to cycling. This announcement came shortly after 20-year-old Londoner Charlie Alliston was found guilty on the little known charge of “wanton and furious driving”, having collided with 44-year-old pedestrian Amanda Briggs causing serious head injuries, which led to her death in 2016. […]

If a brain can be caught lying, should we admit that evidence to court? Here’s what legal experts think

2 August 2017

A man is charged with stealing a very distinctive blue diamond. The man claims never to have seen the diamond before. An expert is called to testify whether the brain responses exhibited by this man indicate he has seen the diamond before. The question is – should this information be used in court? Courts are […]

Still too many holes in Theresa May’s promise to EU citizens

24 June 2017

A full year after the EU referendum, the British prime minister has finally issued a statement on the status of the 3m European citizens living in the UK. These people have spent the year lobbying governments, parliaments and relevant organisations all over Europe for clarity about their post-Brexit rights – as well as those of […]

(from left-to-right) Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law, Professor Rebecca Taylor; Cate Turner; Karie Matthews; Sir Nicholas Forwood QC; Head of The Open University Law School, Paul Catley

OU announces Law Students of the Year 2016

5 May 2017

Cate Turner and Karie Matthews were presented with their awards for being the highest achieving students of 2016 by leading EU judge, Sir Nicholas Forwood QC, and Head of The Open University Law School, Paul Catley. The event, hosted recently at Church House Conference Centre, Westminster, provided alumni, students, and their guests the opportunity to hear from Sir Nicholas […]

Home Office rule change adds to febrile atmosphere for EU nationals in Britain

3 March 2017

The House of Lords may have backed an amendment to protect the rights of EU nationals after Brexit, but the level of fear among nationals of other EU countries about their future has hit new highs. On March 1, the Lords voted by 358 to 256 in favour of an amendment to the Brexit bill, […]

England Rugby’s ‘ruckgate’: when playing by the rules is seen as unfair

2 March 2017

The Six Nations match between England and Italy at Twickenham on February 26 created quite a stir. Not so much for the quality of the rugby, but for a tactic adopted by the Italian team which appeared to catch England completely off guard for the best part of the first half. The tactic involved a […]

Four ways Britain could guarantee the right to remain for EU citizens after Brexit

12 February 2017

During the second reading of the bill that will give the government the go-ahead to trigger Britain’s exit from the European Union, MPs had a chance to safeguard the rights of EU citizens after Brexit. An amendment, tabled by Labour MP Harriet Harman, would have forced the government to preserve the current residence rights of […]

glasses and book on background bookcase close up. Thinkstock

Meet the OU’s youngest ever law graduate

18 October 2016

Completing her degree at the age of just 18, Zahra Alidina is The Open University’s youngest ever law graduate. Zahra left school at the age of 13 to pursue law related subjects at GCSE and A-Level through home education. Completing her A-Levels at just 15, she found it difficult to get into traditional universities because […]

Hope for UK nationals living abroad after Brexit

26 July 2016

Some are retired, some are studying and some are working. Up until now, they have been entitled to the same rights as any other EU citizen. That includes access to healthcare in any EU member state and access to certain child benefits. They also have the right to support when seeking work or for housing. […]

Photo of girl writing in a book in a home study

Should home education be more tightly regulated?

3 November 2015

Sunday can be a hectic evening for many families. A time to organise packed lunches, iron uniforms and polish school shoes. But for a sizeable minority such pressures do not apply. In July 2014, there were 27,292 five to 16-year-olds in England who were home educated, according to statistics compiled from local authority records by […]

OU News

Category: Law