Questions tagged [united-kingdom]

For questions specific to the United Kingdom. Note that the UK does not have a common legal system across its jurisdictions - consider using [scotland] or [england-and-wales] or [northern-ireland].

The legal system of the United Kingdom consists of three quite distinct and separate legal jurisdictions:

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At what point can you walk out of a restaurant if they make you wait to pay the bill?

The other day, I ate at a restaurant; the food was fine, and I got to paying the bill. Their payment system went down. They couldn't accept cards; only cash, and I didn't have the cash on me for the bill. In the end, their payments system was…
Jez
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Can a law protect itself?

Can a law protect itself? For example, could it be written in to a law that, under no circumstances, it should be amended or abolished (a) for a fixed duration or (b) indefinitely? I am most interested in the United Kingdom but would also be…
danger mouse
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Is it legal for a company to claim 'our phones lines are unusually busy' all day every day?

In the UK it's become usual when attempting to contact any public facing organisation by phone to hear the phrase "our phones lines are unusually busy right now, please be patient your call is important to us" Or some similar platitudes. This has…
ConanTheGerbil
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Is it legal for a company to offer free coding courses to women only?

A company is offering free coding courses to women and non-binary individuals only. Is this kind of sex-based discrimination legal?
Lucien
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Does GDPR include UK customers, or not anymore?

Now that Brexit happened, does GDPR include UK customers, or not anymore?
Nuno
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Could I write a "Parry Hotter" novel?

There is a question over at the Writing SE which was wondering whether J. K. Rowling would consent to somebody writing a Harry Potter sequel. The answer was, predictably in hindsight, "you would never be able to give her a letter, and even if, she…
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Is it breach of contract if dismissed before starting work?

I've been dismissed by a company I was due to start a job with, just a few days before the job was meant to start. They have no intention of providing me with any compensation despite the fact I handed in my notice as my previous job, moved to the…
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Landlord gives 4 months notice to the rental agency which fails to give notice to the tenants

I am renting and I have been given a 1 month and half notice from my rental agency. In UK at the moment the minimum notice is 4 months. The landlord actually says that he gave the agency full 4 months notice and so the agency did not communicate to…
asasa178
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Can an insurance company legally sell an unclaimable policy?

Can a insurance company legally sell a policy that cannot be claimed? A colleague of mine has just returned from a visit to a country that's currently at war. He purchased a (very expensive) insurance policy beforehand. Before purchasing he…
Lima
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Legality of penalising Russian Oligarchs

What is the legal basis for penalising individual Russian Oligarchs? Having ill-gotten wealth and dubious friends is hardly unique to Russia, and whilst I can understand with the desire of the Western / European powers to been seen to be doing…
ConanTheGerbil
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Can a soldier refuse to carry a weapon?

During WWII, Desmond Doss joined the US Army as a combat medic. Due to his religious belief in nonviolence, he refused to carry a weapon and was eventually allowed to do so, going on to win various medals (including the Medal of Honor) for rescuing…
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Could a British monarch "go full dictator" if they wish to do so?

Queen Elizabeth II was generally nice and didn't abuse her power. But could her successor do otherwise and "go full dictator", in theory? Would he have enough legal powers to do so? Admittedly, dictators are not known for playing by the book, but…
Sergey Zolotarev
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Can women also go shirtless in public legally?

Do women have the same rights as men to walk on the beach or sidewalk topless where men are also walking bare-chested without being discriminated against? If a woman is arrested or asked to leave by enforcement, but not the men, is that blatant…
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Is it stealing if three books are allowed to be taken for free and I take more?

There is a charity shop, which sells nothing but gives books away for free. They do accept optional donations of money, and any books donations so they have more books to give away for free. Upon entering the charity shop, there is a sign saying…
user5623335
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Would it be legal to supply an item that deliberately stops working after the guarantee expires?

I have TV that failed about a week after the 3 year guarantee expired. Obviously this is annoying, and I'm back to using a 15 year old TV that I dug out from the attic. Realistically, this failure so close to expiry of the guarantee is probably just…
ConanTheGerbil
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