What happens when the criminal justice system gets it wrong and takes years to admit it? And what does it say about the state of UK law when protestors are labelled terrorists while populists call for military-built prisons?

From the Supreme Court’s critical judgment in the high-profile legal case against the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) traders calling out systemic failure in the appeals process to the explosive policy platform launched by Reform UK, this episode of Double Jeopardy covers the legal and political stories reshaping public discourse. Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC unpack a series of developments exposing deep fault lines in British politics, freedom of expression, and the rule of law.

They also return to the government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under terrorism legislation raising urgent questions about human rights law, the policing of protest, and the erosion of civil liberties under the banner of national security.

You can find the Supreme Court judgment in Rex v Hayes & Palombo here.

Carlo Palombo was represented by Tim Owen KC, Jonathan Crow CVO, KC, Katherine Hardcastle, Tim James-Matthews and Elizabeth Walsh instructed by Ben Rose of Hickman & Rose.  Tom Hayes was represented by Adrian Darbishire KC and Tom Doble instructed by Karen Todner.

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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 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, 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.