The Law Show

Professor Simon Harding, criminologist at the University of West London, considers proposals to control the sale and possession of corrosive substances with Joshua Rozenberg.

Joshua Rozenberg talks exclusively to the director for legal affairs at the government's signals service GCHQ and asks him why the UK's secret intelligence agency needs lawyers.

Joshua Rozenberg examines the implications for the criminal justice system - especially the courts and prisons - of the growing number of prosecutions and convictions of older people for sexual offences. The programme also discovers the legal implications of the explosion in the theatrical use of holograms of both the living and the dead. And we find out what's on the agenda for the new Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, David Lidington.

Following the general election, Joshua Rozenberg introduces a special live discussion programme in which he and his guests consider what the composition of the new House of Commons means for the law. They consider the courts and those who use them, the strained prison system, impending legislative changes to the law - including those required to achieve commitments made on Brexit - and how those seeking access to justice are likely to fare. Producer Simon Coates.

Vacancies for senior Judges and circuit Judges are now at an all-time high - why? The Judiciary is still reeling from last year's "Enemies of the People" headlines and morale is low, with many Judges fed up with the job. Speaking to three senior judges, Joshua Rozenberg asks what can be done to address the situation? Producer: Jim Frank Researcher: Beth Sagar-Fenton

Joint Enterprise is the law by which a group of people can be convicted with the same offence and earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled that Joint Enterprise law had been misinterpreted for 30 years. This gave campaigners significant hope as they say Joint Enterprise is an unjust law, especially when applied to murder convictions because all defendants face the same mandatory life sentence even if they were periphery players. But these hopes were dashed when the Court of Appeal announced that it was not going to permit thirteen Joint Enterprise murder convictions to be reviewed. Joshua Rozenberg explores why the court came to this decision - and asks if the perceived unfairness over Joint Enterprise points to bigger problems with the law of homicide. Also on the programme: Soon-to-be President Donald Trump has said one of his most important tasks will be to appoint a judge to the US Supreme Court, which he has said would be pro-life and pro-gun ownership. To what extent can he be sure that the Supreme Justices will do his bidding? And after 500 years, the trial of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark will be heard in London in a mock trial featuring real QCs, and a real judge. Law in Action hears how the prosecution and defence are going to state their case. CONTRIBUTORS Gloria Morrison, campaign co-ordinator for JENGBA (Joint Enterprise, Not Guilty by Association) Alison Levitt QC Bob Neill MP, chair of the Justice Select Committee James Zirin, lawyer and author of Supremely Partisan Ian Winter QC Ruth Brock, chief executive of the Shakespeare Schools Festival Shaheed Fatima QC Lady Justice Hallett PRODUCERS: Matt Bardo & Richard Fenton-Smith EDITOR: Penny Murphy.

The High Court has decided that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot trigger Brexit without an Act of Parliament - but what are the legal ramifications of this ruling? This week, Joshua Rozenberg explores this latest chapter in Britain's exit from the EU - the fallout from which has seen highly personal attacks on England's most senior judges, as the ideological divisions seen in the run up to the referendum vote were exposed once more. Following our previous edition of Law in Action, which aired straight after the referendum vote, the programme has gone back to the same leading legal minds to seek some clarity amid the conflicting and confusing media coverage. Has the high court's decision really stalled Brexit as leave voters fear - and some remainers hope? Just how will the so-called 'Great Repeal Bill' work in practice? And will the UK still have to comply with EU laws if it wants to continue to trade with the continent? CONTRIBUTORS Prof Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge Prof Mark Elliott, Professor of Public Law at University of Cambridge Producers: Matt Bardo & Richard Fenton-Smith.

Do the laws designed to counter terrorism and extremism strike the right balance between stopping violent attacks and protecting our civil liberties? Weighing up this question has been one of the main tasks of David Anderson QC - the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. Mr Anderson is due to step down after six years in the post, and he speaks to Joshua Rozbenberg about the changes he has seen in counter-terrorism law, and whether the net has now been cast too wide in the fight against extremism. One critic of the current law is Salman Butt who is bringing a judicial review case against the Home Office, which he says unfairly labelled him as an extremist speaker. Mr Butt, who is the editor of the website Islam 21c, says the government conflates conservative religious views with extremism and this unfairly targets members of the Muslim community. Next month at the High Court he will be challenging sections of the government's Prevent counter-extremism policy, which he says conflicts with the right to free speech. These concerns are shared by the Home Affairs select committee which has also criticised the policy, with MPs saying that that unless concerns among the Muslim community are addressed, Prevent would continue to be viewed by many as toxic. Law in Action has also discovered that one of the key architects of Prevent also believes it has lost its way. In this programme, Joshua Rozenberg speaks to former GCHQ director Sir David Omand about how the strategy was devised and how it differs to his original vision. Producers: Richard Fenton-Smith & Matt Bardo Editor: Penny Murphy.

Thirty years ago the Crown Prosecution Service was established - the body which acts as a gatekeeper to the criminal justice system of England and Wales. Those three decades have not been an easy ride for the CPS, which faced staffing shortages from the start. What's beyond doubt is that a well-run prosecution service is essential if the criminal courts are going to deliver justice. In this first programme of the new series, Joshua Rozenberg speaks to the current head of the CPS - the Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders. They discuss how the CPS has changed the legal landscape, as well as some of the key areas of work for the CPS in recent years such as increasing the success rate of rape prosecutions; bringing historical child sexual abuse cases to trial; the recovery of proceeds of crime; and the new challenges social media is presenting for the justice system. Producer: Richard Fenton-Smith.