Double Jeopardy - UK Law and Politics

Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC
  • 4.4 (5)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Covering the critical intersections of law and politics in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political present and future. -What happens when law and politics collide?  -How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back?  -What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged?  -And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays. Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, human rights and the British Constitution.  Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, and a leading voice on civil liberties.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades. Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  Episode topics have included:  -How UK politics is shaping the legal system and British politics explained – from judicial review of government decisions to the erosion of civil liberties.  -The toxic confrontation between gender critical feminists and trans activists over what defines a woman in law.  -The extent to which special measures intended to support vulnerable witnesses are making it harder to prosecute rape and other serious sexual offences.  -Inside the most controversial legal cases – including human rights battles over immigration law, terrorism and national security, the Assisted Dying Bill and the gross miscarriage of justice in the Andrew Malkinson case.  -Britain’s never ending criminal justice crisis – from overfilled prisons to policing policies that test the rule of law, threats to jury trial and the massive backlog of Crown Court cases.  -Lucy Letby’s convictions, the media’s role, the Court of Appeal’s detailed rejection of her appeal and the fresh evidence which may demonstrate fundamental problems with the safety of the convictions.   Episodes feature discussions with the most influential voices in law, politics, and justice, including:   -Professor Kathleen Stock – leading gender critical feminist and Professor of Philosophy hounded out of her job at Sussex University discusses science, gender and the importance of free speech.  -Joshua Rozenberg - Legal commentator and broadcaster reviewed major legal and political developments, including judicial independence, rule of law, and shifts in UK legal norms.  -Baroness Brenda Hale – Former President of the Supreme Court discuss human rights, politicians and populist attacks on the judiciary.  -Danny Shaw - Former BBC Home Affairs Correspondent explored the government’s Crime and Policing Bill, political motives behind law-and-order messaging, and public trust in the justice system.  -Melanie Phillips – Times columnist and public commentator discussed the developing constitutional crisis in Israel arising from the Netenyahu government’s plans to trim the powers and role of Israel’s Supreme Court.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll enjoy Double Jeopardy. If you would like to sponsor the podcast, contact us

  1. 4D AGO

    Can Sir Brian Leveson Save the Criminal Justice System?

    The second Part of Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts was published last week but largely overlooked in light of the Mandelson scandal.    In this week’s episode Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC are joined by Sir Brian to discuss the details of his mammoth, Part 2 Report and to get his response to the very strong criticisms from both the legal profession, the judiciary and politicians from all sides to his first Report on jury reform.  Sir Brian’s Second Report covers a vast range of issues which, if enacted in full, certainly do have the potential to achieve radical change in the way our criminal justice system functions.  His recommendations include the creation of a Criminal Justice Adviser to the Prime Minister with the aim of co-ordinating a single vision for the currently fragmented criminal justice agencies (police, courts service, CPS and prisons); a National Listing Framework to reduce the number of ineffective hearings; the setting up of remote hearings by default for preliminary hearings in the Crown Court and first hearings in the magistrates courts to reduce travel to and from court centres; vastly increased use of AI for case management; legal aid reforms and numerous other significant changes to promote increased efficiency.  Are Sir Brian’s recommendations really new?  And what are the chances of the Government embracing them in full, as he urges them to do, alongside increased funding for the justice system and implementation of the structural reforms to jury trial explained in his first Report?     For anyone interested in reading the full report, click here...  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-the-criminal-courts-part-2  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  2. FEB 4

    SLAPPS, Filibustering Death, and Juries

    What is the future of anti-SLAPP laws in the UK?  And what are the implications of the recent High Court Judgment in Hurst v Solicitors Regulation Authority (https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/082-Hurst-v-SRA-002.pdf)in which the SRA was heavily criticised for holding that the experienced Osborne Clarke media solicitor, Ashley Hurst, was guilty of professional misconduct on the basis that he had wrongly attempted to deter tax campaigner Dan Neidle from publishing allegations of dishonesty over his tax affairs against former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadim Zahawi?     Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC discuss the issues with distinguished media lawyer Gavin Millar KC who explains why he and other media lawyers and organisations are pressing the Government to include a universal anti-SLAPP law in the next King’s Speech.   Ken and Tim go on to discuss the extraordinary efforts by a small group of members of the House of Lords to block the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by endless amendments which have no hope of being debated before the April deadline when the Lords must vote on it.  They explain the threat to invoke the Parliament Act 1911 as a means of guaranteeing that the Bill becomes law and the constitutional implications of the Lords being seen to frustrate the will of the House of Commons.   Finally, the duo summarise Sir Brian Leveson’s reply to critics of his jury reform recommendations as set out in his Sunday Times comment piece and they speculate on why the Government is finding it impossible to appoint anyone to Chair the Judicial Appointments Commission as it faces a heavy workload in light of recent retirements of a number of senior Judges, including the Master of the Rolls. -- Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain's legal and political future.     What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain's legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.    Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.     Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you'll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  3. JAN 28

    Why The Lammy Jury Reforms Won’t Work

    Are the Government’s plans to reduce the shameful backlog of some 80,000 cases awaiting trial in the Crown Court built on sand? Is the prediction in Part 1 of Sir Brian Leveson's Independent Review of Criminal Courts reliable? Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC are joined by Cassia Rowland. Cassia is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government (IFG) and the author of the IFG's Report “Trial and Error? The impact of restricting jury trials on court demand” published on 21st January - https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/judge-only-trials-court-demand-productivity⁠ Cassia's Report provides a critical, data-based analysis of the Lammy proposals to address the Crown Court backlog. She claims the proposed reforms will result in “marginal gains at best” and will not fix the fundamental crisis in the criminal justice system. The Report urges the Government to avoid radical structural changes to the right to jury trial. Instead, it recommends focusing on alternatives, such as investing in court staff, buildings, and technology, rather than experimenting with fundamental rights. Ken and Tim debate with Cassia the central question: whether restricting the right to a jury trial is the most effective solution to addressing the Crown Court backlog. They delve into the details of the Leveson, Lammy, and IFG reports, and examine whether the IFG's data and modelling provide a more reliable foundation for policy than those used by the Leveson Review. Finally, the duo discuss the recent Court of Appeal decision in R v Webster & others (https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewca/crim/2026/9?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email). In this case, five Extinction Rebellion protesters unsuccessfully sought to appeal their convictions. They argued that the trial judge wrongly directed the jury that acquitting on the basis of conscience, rather than the law and evidence, might constitute a criminal offence. Is the principle of “jury equity” still alive and well? -- Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain's legal and political future.     What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain's legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.    Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.     Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you'll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  4. JAN 21

    Listeners’ Mailbag: Tariffs, Hunger Strikes and Undermining the Parole Board

    In this week’s episode Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC discuss a wide range of issues affecting UK law and politics and answer some listeners’ questions.     Does Elon Musk’s climbdown over Grok’s image generator represent a victory for online safety campaigners and have Ken and Tim been unfair about Ofcom’s record of enforcing the Online Safety Act ?    Will the US Supreme Court’s imminent ruling in  Learning Resources v Trump declare Trump’s unilateral imposition of tariffs without Congressional approval to be unlawful and what would that mean for Trump’s latest threats to impose tariffs on any NATO country opposing his demand to take over Greenland?   And is being turned down for the Nobel Peace Prize a good reason to invade a sovereign State ?   The decision of 6 Palestine Action activists to end their hunger strike was greeted with relief by the Ministry of Justice but what were the activists demanding and what is the law concerning the duty of the Prison Service in response to hunger strikes?  Ken and Tim explain the fundamental shift in the law from mandatory force feeding of the Suffragettes, as established in the 1909 judgment in Leigh v Gladstone, to the turning point in the ‘70s and 80s involving IRA hunger strikers.     What do recent amendments to the Parole Board’s powers and the Justice Secretary’s new power to direct the Parole Board to refer a release decision in “top-tier” cases to the High Court say about Labour’s approach to sentencing, fairness and respect for judicial independence?  See this for a background to the changes - https://www.no5.com/2025/12/the-parole-board-new-powers-and-new-challenges/   Finally, Ken and Tim reflect on the defection of Robert Jenrick to Reform, the record of his replacement as Shadow Justice Secretary, Nick Timothy MP, and the mysterious decision by SFO Director, Nick Ephgrave, to announce his early retirement after only 2 and half years in the job. -- overing the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political future.     What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.    Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.     Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  5. JAN 14

    Venezuela, Greenland and The Donroe Doctrine: Power without Law

    Former National Security Advisor John Bolton says of President Trump that “the part he likes about the phrase ‘Donroe Doctrine” is the word ‘Don’ -  he doesn’t do doctrine” but the abduction of the sitting Venezuelan President Maduro and repeated explicit threats to acquire Greenland, by force if necessary, from Trump, Vance and the increasingly unhinged US Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller would appear to signal the end of any hope for the continuation of a rules-based global order.  To discuss the implications for public international law of Trump’s open contempt for the idea that he should be constrained by anything other than his own personal “morality”, Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC are joined by their Matrix chambers colleague and Professor of Public International Law at the London School of Economics, Devika Hovell. What was the international law status of the Maduro government before 3rd January 2026 and to what extent does the US law enforcement justification for his capture hold water in international law terms?  And given the raw reality of US power, does it really matter in practice? To what extent does the “Donroe Doctrine” have any legal coherence and in what way is it different from the 19th century Monroe Doctrine to which it claims an historic link?  What is the status of Greenland in international law and absent the consent of Denmark or the people of Greenland could the USA lawfully “buy” Greenland from the Greenlanders? Finally, given the reality that the USA, China and Russia have no respect for international law, is Attorney General Lord Hermer KC right to acknowledge that statecraft/diplomacy is the only way to manage a world dominated by Trump and raw US power? -- Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political future.     What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.    Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.     Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    54 min

  6. JAN 7

    UK Law and Politics 2025-2026: What’s Happened and What’s Coming Next

    To start the New Year, Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC are joined once again by the UK’s leading legal journalist and author of the daily blog, A Lawyer Writes, Joshua Rozenberg, to review some key issues in UK law and politics during 2025 and to look forward to likely developments in 2026.   Against the background of a polarised, often ill-informed, debate around migration, asylum and Article 8 of the ECHR, where does the embarrassing case of Alaa Abd El-Fattah fit in this confused, fevered political landscape?    2025 saw persistent populist attacks on the judiciary, with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick the most persistent offender, and the trio debate whether judicial independence is under greater threat now than ever before.     With every corner of our criminal justice system in a state of apparently permanent decline, what do the cases of Andrew Malkinson, Tom Hayes, Carlo Palombo and Lucy Letby tell us about the ability of the system to prevent and ultimately reverse miscarriages of justice?   Looking forward to 2026, Ken, Tim and Joshua cover the prospects for effective regulation of the internet and the potential for conflict between the EU approach and that of the Trump regime.  They also debate the ability of the Government to secure Parliamentary approval for the plan radically to limit the right to jury trial and the chaotic way in which the proposals were leaked.     Finally, they consider whether the Sentencing Bill, once in force, can really be the magic bullet that will finally achieve the goal of reducing our dependence on imprisonment as the only acceptable form of punishment and lead to a lasting reduction in the prison population. For listeners to the special episode on the Pitcairn Island sexual abuse  case interested in reading the Privy Council judgment, click here - https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/d171ca10-d5ed-4106-a229-e9993bd9867a/content --   Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political future.     What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.    Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.     Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 1m

  7. JAN 1

    Living in the Southern Ocean: Part 2- Empire, Neglect and the Dilemma of the Pitcairn Sex Trials

    In Part 2 of their discussion with retired New Zealand High Court Judge and former Chief Crown Prosecutor for Auckland, Simon Moore KC, Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC discuss the extraordinary Pitcairn Island sexual abuse trials which took place between 2004-2006 and in which Simon headed the prosecution team. What finally triggered the investigation into what was eventually revealed to be institutionalised, decades long gross sexual abuse of children and young women on this tiny, remote volcanic island in the middle of the South Pacific populated by the descendants of the 1789 mutiny on HMS Bounty ?  As a British Overseas Territory, why was a New Zealand prosecutor in charge of the cases and what were the practical challenges involved in seeking to bring justice to a community of some 50 people who had lived for centuries with no concept of policing or the reality of restraint via the criminal law? -- Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political future.    What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.   Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.    Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.    If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min

  8. 12/27/2025

    Living in the Southern Ocean: Part 1- Blazing a Trail for Criminal Justice Reform

    In Part 1 of a special holiday release of Double Jeopardy, Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC are joined by the former New Zealand High Court Judge and Chief Crown Prosecutor for Auckland, Simon Moore KC.  At a time when comparisons are often made between the Leveson/Lammy proposals and the major reforms to New Zealand criminal justice system in 2011 flowing from its Criminal Procedure Act 2011 and the Victims of Crime Reform Act 2011, Simon gives his thoughts on the UK government’s proposed changes to the right to trial by jury and questions whether they will be effective in achieving the radical reduction in the Crown Court backlog.   -- Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political future.    What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays.   Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights.    Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades.  Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.    If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min
See All (137)

4.4
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Covering the critical intersections of law and politics in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain’s legal and political present and future. -What happens when law and politics collide?  -How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back?  -What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged?  -And who really holds power in Britain’s legal and political system?  Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays. Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, human rights and the British Constitution.  Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, and a leading voice on civil liberties.  Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades. Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.  Episode topics have included:  -How UK politics is shaping the legal system and British politics explained – from judicial review of government decisions to the erosion of civil liberties.  -The toxic confrontation between gender critical feminists and trans activists over what defines a woman in law.  -The extent to which special measures intended to support vulnerable witnesses are making it harder to prosecute rape and other serious sexual offences.  -Inside the most controversial legal cases – including human rights battles over immigration law, terrorism and national security, the Assisted Dying Bill and the gross miscarriage of justice in the Andrew Malkinson case.  -Britain’s never ending criminal justice crisis – from overfilled prisons to policing policies that test the rule of law, threats to jury trial and the massive backlog of Crown Court cases.  -Lucy Letby’s convictions, the media’s role, the Court of Appeal’s detailed rejection of her appeal and the fresh evidence which may demonstrate fundamental problems with the safety of the convictions.   Episodes feature discussions with the most influential voices in law, politics, and justice, including:   -Professor Kathleen Stock – leading gender critical feminist and Professor of Philosophy hounded out of her job at Sussex University discusses science, gender and the importance of free speech.  -Joshua Rozenberg - Legal commentator and broadcaster reviewed major legal and political developments, including judicial independence, rule of law, and shifts in UK legal norms.  -Baroness Brenda Hale – Former President of the Supreme Court discuss human rights, politicians and populist attacks on the judiciary.  -Danny Shaw - Former BBC Home Affairs Correspondent explored the government’s Crime and Policing Bill, political motives behind law-and-order messaging, and public trust in the justice system.  -Melanie Phillips – Times columnist and public commentator discussed the developing constitutional crisis in Israel arising from the Netenyahu government’s plans to trim the powers and role of Israel’s Supreme Court.  If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you’ll enjoy Double Jeopardy. If you would like to sponsor the podcast, contact us

Information

  • Creator
    Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    137
  • Rating
    Clean

You Might Also Like