The Pope speaks on Europe, the Lords debate religion in public life, the Law Society climbs down on sharia-compliant wills – while the Swiss and the Northern Irish are getting cold feet about human rights…

Not the sharia practice note

On Monday. after howls of disapproval, the Law Society withdrew its practice note on how to draw up a sharia-compliant will in a way that satisfies the law of succession in England and Wales. So any non-specialist solicitor with a Muslim client who wants to leave his or her estate in accordance with Islamic as well as English law will either have to refer the client to a specialist – or just guess.

Lords debate on religion and belief in public life

On Thursday the Lords debated a motion “That this House takes note of the role of religion and belief in British public life”, introduced by Lord Harries of Pentregarth, former Bishop of Oxford. (Presumably that should have read “public life in the United Kingdom” – but almost everyone in politics outside Northern Ireland seems unaware of the distinction.) Continue reading →