Law and Disorder is a new weekly podcast looking at the biggest issues in the news through the prism of the law. We've brought together three of the UK's best legal minds: recently retired High Court judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn, barrister and human rights campaigner Baroness Helena Kennedy, and Charlie Falconer, a Labour peer and former Lord Chancellor.
Subscribe now for weekly episodes disentangling the thorniest of subjects, from Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill to the situation in Gaza, via Post Office scandals, Prince Harry and privacy and much, much more.
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Law and Disorder is a new weekly podcast looking at the biggest issues in the news through the prism of the law. We've brought together three of the UK's best legal minds: recently retired High Court judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn, barrister and human rights campaigner Baroness Helena Kennedy, and Charlie Falconer, a Labour peer and former Lord Chancellor.
Subscribe now for weekly episodes disentangling the thorniest of subjects, from Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill to the situation in Gaza, via Post Office scandals, Prince Harry and privacy and much, much more.
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On January 3rd 2026, the United States launched an audacious mission to capture Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and bring him back to the US to stand trial on charges related to "narcoterrorism". The operation has shocked the world, with some quarters celebrating the toppling of an illegitimate, authoritarian regime, and others decrying the flagrant abuse of international law. Has President Trump put the final nail in the coffin of the concept of international law? Or is there a defence for the operation via precedent or domestic law? The Law and Disorder trio – Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy and Nicholas Mostyn – assemble to discuss.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2025 has been a hugely consequential year, with troubling assaults on the Rule of Law in the US as well as challenges to international law in the Middle East and Ukraine. Closer to home, the UK justice system continues to creak under the weight of the backlog. With so much happening, the Law & Disorder team gather (remotely) one last time for 2025, to look back over the past 12 months and ahead to the start of a new year. Are our legal norms being irreparably eroded? Or can the rules-based order reassert itself?
If you want to enter the competition to win a signed copy of Edward Stourton's new book, please send your entries to lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Should misconduct be taken into account when an equitable division of assets is being attempted following a divorce? That's the question we're dealing with today, as Nicholas Mostyn – and old hand in these affairs – and Helena Kennedy are joined by Anita Mehta, a barrister and co-host of Talking Family Law. Together they talk about the law as it was, is and could possibly be, as our understanding of complex issues like domestic abuse and coercive control evolve.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Baroness Brenda Hale is one of the most experienced legal minds in the country. Having served on the Supreme Court (including a stint as the first female President) she joins this week's podcast to reflect on her storied career, the times when she came up against certain podcast hosts in court, and some of the pressing issues facing the justice system, from the future of jury trials to the alleviation of the backlog. Witty, insightful and wise, Baroness Hale's life will prove an inspiration to many.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There has been much in the news in recent years about undercover police work, with the public shocked by the level of intrusion permitted. Charlotte Kilroy KC, our guest today, is an expert on this subject, and has recently represented a woman, Beth, whose partner allegedly used his status as an informant for MI5 in order to inflict domestic abuse. In this wide-ranging discussion, the team look at the role of undercover personnel, the work of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, and what balance must be struck between the question of national security and the safety and privacy of those coming into contact with subterfuge.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Last week, the Law & Disorder trio had the privilege of broadcasting live from Ripon Cathedral, where they debated a key question at the heart of proposals to revamp Britain's justice system: should jury trials be consigned to history? Or is there space for a hybrid system? Tied to suggestions made by Sir Brian Leveson, the team make their arguments for and against preserving a key part of Britain's common law system.
This event was kindly sponsored by Irwin Mitchell solicitors.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump is threatening to sue the BBC for a reported $5bn over the BBC's flagship Panorama programme's 'misleading' edit of one of his speeches. The President is claiming significant reputational damage stemmed from an injudicious edit which made it seem like he had directly incited the 6th January insurrection at the Capitol. But does he really have a case? How much money could the Beeb be on the hook for? Or is the American President using 'lawfare' to chill his media critics? Nicholas Mostyn, Charlie Falconer and Helena Kennedy gather to discuss this momentous collision of politics and the law.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The 2024 General Election feels a long time ago now – and must feel like another lifetime for Sir Keir Starmer – but one of the Labour party's flagship propositions, the new Employment Rights Bill, is inching its way towards the statute book. To discuss the implications (both for employers and employees), the Law & Disorder team are delighted to be joined by David Reade KC of Littleton Chambers, one of the UK's top employment barristers, who proves an expert guide through a thicket of legalisation with profound implications for how we all do business.
This episode is generously sponsored by Tideway, specialists in pension drawdown, investment management, tax-efficient income, and much more.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Since we began work on Law & Disorder back at the start of 2024, the challenges surrounding Israel's war on Gaza have been front page news. Have the Israeli's committed war crimes? Does this constitute a genocide? And what levers are available to the international legal community? For two years, these issues have swirled, and in spite of a recent ceasefire, no proper resolution seems near. To discuss all of these issues, we're joined by Jonathan Sumption, one of Britain's leading lawyers and a former judge on the UK's Supreme Court. He has written on this issue, and sits down with Charlie, Helena and Nicholas to discuss and interrogate his views.
You can purchase your ticket for our event at Ripon Cathedral, sponsored by Irwin Mitchell LLP, by clicking here.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 1989, 97 people lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster. The fight for justice, led by their families, has taken decades, and there are still huge failures of accountability. The cover-up after the disaster only served to exacerbate the pain of victims, and prevent justice being served. That's where the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, better known as the Hillsborough Law, comes in. Today on Law & Disorder we're joined by Pete Weatherby KC, who has represented the families of Hillsborough victims and is one of the architects of the law, to explain why new legislation is necessary, and what it could achieve.
You can purchase your ticket for our event at Ripon Cathedral, sponsored by Irwin Mitchell LLP, by clicking here.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This summer, a superinjunction was lifted, following an independent review, which had prohibited reporting on a massive data breach relating to the possible evacuation of Afghans to the UK in the wake of the Taliban takeover there. The court battle, fought between a number of media organisations and the government, exposed the ways in which the law must strike a delicate balance between national security and transparency. Did they arrive at the correct result here? To discuss, the Law & Disorder trio are joined by Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director at Times Media Limited, who was a key player in the fight to bring these facts to light.
Register for a ticket to Law & Disorder LIVE! – in association with Tideway – by clicking here.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Planet Tax – widely considered the most interesting and sexy domain in our galaxy – is the home of a a certain Dan Neidle. A former Head of Tax at Clifford Chance, Dan has become the country's most prominent tax vigilantes, holding public figures to account over their tax arrangements. This week, he talks us through two knotty, political tax affairs: Angela Rayner's failure to pay sufficient stamp duty on her home (which cost her her job in government) and seemingly similar shenanigans from one Nigel Farage. As ever, Dan is a witty and erudite guide through the British tax system.
Register for a ticket to Law & Disorder LIVE! – in association with Tideway – by clicking here.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SLAPPs: Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation. These lawsuits, often brought by the super wealthy, have been in the news a lot over the past few years, and, indeed, we've covered them before on the show. But today we're looking at it from the impact of the SLAPPee, in this case Charlotte Leslie, a former Tory MP and now Director of the Conservative Middle East Council. Her experiences shed a light on the impact these cases can have and the Kafkaesque nightmare of pursuing the truth in our Byzantine criminal justice system.
Register for a ticket to Law & Disorder LIVE! – in association with Tideway – by clicking here.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alastair Campbell has worn many hats: journalist, bagpiper, political operator, Burnley ultra, and, most recently, podcaster. This varied CV has brought him into frequent contact with power and infrequent contact with the law. In this episode, a wide-ranging season opener, he talks candidly with Charlie, Helena and Nick about his life in politics, his fears for the current state of play, and his optimism about how things can be turned around. The conversation covers everything from comparisons between Keir Starmer and Tony Blair and thoughts for combatting Reform, to whether he got on with Jonathan Sumption during the Hutton inquiry!
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Birthright citizenship is an important Constitutional right in the United States, but one that is increasingly challenged under the second Trump presidency. In this episode, we re-convene with David D. Cole, a top constitutional lawyer and former Legal Director of the ACLU, to discuss the case of Trump v CASA, a Supreme Court case which addressed whether lower courts could issue 'universal injunctions' to block nationwide enforcement of policies, and more generally how the Supreme Court is managing the tricky relationship with the man in the Oval Office.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Few social issues have proven quite as controversial or emotional as the fraught subject of gender dysphoria treatment for minors. In both the UK and US, the question has vexed doctors, lawyers and politicians. The balance between the medical and psychological wellbeing of trans youngsters presents unique challenges for physicians and legislators, and it feels like we are yet to alight upon a compassionate solution. To discuss, the Law & Disorder team are joined by two great experts from either side of the pond. David D. Cole is a top US constitutional lawyer and former National Legal Director of the ACLU, who has brought challenges to the absolutist position of American state legislators; Hilary Cass is a retired paediatrician and author of the Cass Review into gender care in England, who now sits alongside Charlie and Helena in the House of Lords. In this discussion, they probe the position of both courts and the medical services, in the hope that clarity might be found in such a challenging issue.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump is desecrating the United States' fundamental belief in due process – or, at least, he's trying to. Standing in his way are a number of obstacles, including the constitution, the courts, and his former comms director, Anthony Scaramucci, who has become a vociferous critic of his old boss. After just 11 days in the role – a unit of time now known as "a Scaracmucci" – Anthony was sacked and liberated to pursuit a vibrant media career that has seen him become an internationally recognised truth-teller. He joins the podcast this week to reflect on Trump's second term, America's historical relationship with the rule of law, and whether democracy is imperilled by forces within the White House.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why is cannabis illegal in the UK? This is a vexed question that dates back to colonial times but continues to be a hot button issue in the present day. Indeed, Charlie Falconer recently chaired a report for the London Drugs Commission on this very topic, recommending that cannabis possession be decriminalised but dealing remain outlawed. Is this an elegant solution or a mealy-mouthed fudge? To debate the issue, Charlie is joined by his regular companions – Nicholas Mostyn and Helena Kennedy – as well as Professor Mike Barnes, a renowned neurologist with a particular interest in medical cannabis, and Peter Reynolds, president of the cannabis campaign group CLEAR UK.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is sports a law unto itself? That's the question posed this week, as the Law & Disorder crew are joined by Nick De Marco KC, perhaps the UK's top sports lawyer. Nick has worked on cases ranging from corrupt cricketers to fiscally feckless football clubs, and offers here a tour d'horizon of the landscape in sports and the law. Should betting companies offer markets on yellow cards? Did Jannick Sinner get off lightly with his doping ban? Will a judgment ever be delivered on Manchester City's PSR violations? Nick, along with Nicholas Mostyn, Helena Kennedy and Charlie Falconer, knock all these issues for six on an end-to-end episode of Law & Disorder.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Media freedom around the world has never been more embattled. A rise in violence perpetrated against journalists and media proprietors has been accompanied by a significant surge in the use of 'lawfare', frivolous but destructive lawsuits designed to silence and intimidate. To discuss this crisis, the Law & Disorder team are joined by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, a leading lawyer representing accused or imprisoned journalists or bereaved families, and Sebastien Lai, the son of Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong businessman and media entrepreneur who has been imprisoned by authorities. Caoifhionn and Sebastien discuss their own struggle to free Jimmy Lai from where he is being held in solitary confinement, a case which illuminates the current assault on the rights and safety of those who hold the powerful to account.
If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!
Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.
Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.