Author Archives: Gillian Guy

Gillian Guy

The Independent View: Pensions reform – the right to advice is right

By Gillian Guy | Sun 30th March 2014 - 8:45 am

citizens adviceDuring the Budget last week George Osborne announced the right to free and impartial face-to-face advice in the context of pension reforms. On a day where we saw other good news — such as encouraging growth forecasts and falling unemployment figures — it was a poignant reminder of how vital advice is for anyone facing major life decisions at any time in their life.

We know more than most how invaluable quality advice is. This year is our 75th anniversary and, over the past 12 months, Citizens Advice helped more than …

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Posted in The Independent View | Tagged , , and | 6 Comments
Gillian Guy

The Independent View: Judicial review changes would advance state powers at expense of individual freedom

By Gillian Guy | Thu 14th November 2013 - 3:59 pm

In its 2010 Manifesto, the Liberal Democrats pledged to ‘restore and protect hard-won British liberties’.  The Government’s consultation on judicial review, which closed this week, could result in a radical shift of power from individuals to the state. If this happens, the legal system and the people who depend on it for fair treatment will be weaker for it.

Plans from the Ministry of Justice to introduce serious restrictions on access to judicial review will make it much harder for people to challenge the execution of public power on behalf of an individual citizen.

The Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has argued that …

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Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged , , and | 7 Comments
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    I agree with David Vigar. While parts of the media have always had poor editorial standards. Conversely the BBC used to be quite good, but has declined signi...
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    "......England’s new territorial governments should have powers comparable in seriousness to Scotland and Wales. " Has anyone asked the elector...
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    We should start by asking "What powers should the state (at any level) be exercising and at what level can they be taken democratically by a body covering all t...