Alex Blair

Garden Court North Chambers • 9th November 2026

Campaign for Gabe’s Law prompts call for evidence in multi-storey car park safety regulations

The Government’s Building Safety Regulator has launched a call for evidence relating to protection from falling, collision and impact and around buildings, prompted by the campaign for ‘Gabe’s Law’, named after 15-year-old Gabriel Santer who tragically fell to his death in 2020 at a different multi-storey car park...

Nottingham Trent University • 15th October 2026

Christian Weaver: From NTU to Standing Up For Justice

Alex facilitated and featured in a video interview on his colleague at Garden Court North Chambers and respected human rights barristers, Christian Weaver, by his alma mater Nottingham Trent University.

Mining Technology • 8th October 2026

Iron ore bucks Hormuz disruption as supply disputes shift to China

On 28 February, when US President Donald Trump announced the start of a joint US-Israel aerial campaign against Iran, he outlined Washington’s intention to complete the military objectives of ‘Operation Epic Fury’ within “four to five weeks”.

Eight months later, the conflict continues. Today, an uneasy conditional ceasefire agreed in April has unravelled amid tit-for-tat airstrikes on commercial tankers and naval warships.

Garden Court North Chambers • 5th October 2026

Inquests begin into the deaths of Michelle Pearson and her four children in fatal arson attack

The inquests into the deaths of Michelle Pearson and her children, Demi, Brandon, Lacie and Lia, will begin today (5 October 2026) at Bolton Coroner’s Court, nearly nine years after the fatal arson attack on their home in Walkden, Greater Manchester.

Garden Court North’s Anna Morris KC is leading Christian Weaver to represent the Pearson family, instructed by Kelly Darlington and Natalie Tolley of Farleys Solicitors LLP.

Garden Court North Chambers • 2nd October 2026

Garden Court North stands in solidarity with the victims and bereaved families of Heaton Park synagogue attack on anniversary

On the anniversary of the fatal terrorist attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, Garden Court North Chambers expresses support and solidarity for the victims and bereaved families.

One year ago, on 2 October 2025, Mr Adrian Daulby and Mr Melvin Cravitz were tragically killed as they tried to protect fellow congregant...

Third Insitute • 24th September 2026

Fire or ICE? Mexico Sets the Course for Latin American Resistance to US Immigration Enforcement Clampdown

A coordinated Latin American response to the actions of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remains implausible, however strong the case for one may be. When Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican construction worker, was shot and killed in Houston by ICE agents on 7 July, the Mexican government swore “forceful legal action” in response. Until now, several other Latin American nations had joined Mexico’s diplomatic resistance to ICE’s extrajudicial arrests and killings. Brazil...

Garden Court North Chambers • 4th September 2026

Pre-inquest review hearing begins into Manchester synagogue attack

Yesterday (3 September 2026), Garden Court North’s Anna Morris KC made submissions on behalf of the family of Mr Adrian Daulby during the pre-inquest review hearing into his death and that of Mr Melvin Cravitz.

Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz were tragically killed on 2 October 2025 during an attack on Heaton...

Garden Court North Chambers • 3rd August 2026

Supreme Court grants permission to appeal Palestine Action proscription

The Supreme Court has granted permission to Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori to appeal against the proscription of the group, likely to be heard later this year.

The Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe the direct action group in July 2025 prompted widespread concerns about the right to free speech and protest.

Following a l...

Garden Court North Chambers • 17th July 2026

Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 5 report: Government wasted $10bn on PPE in “catastrophic failure” of a response

The UK Government wasted approximately $10 billion of public money through flawed procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 5 report has found.

The Inquiry’s report, published on Tuesday (14 July 2026) by Inquiry Chair Baroness Heather Hallett, set out a n...

Garden Court North Chambers • 14th July 2026

Garden Court North welcomes third reading for Hillsborough Law

Garden Court North welcomes the third reading of Hillsborough Law – the Public Office (Accountability) Bill 2026 – which took place on 14 July 2026 in the House of Commons. This completes the Bill’s passage in the Commons and now moves to the House of Lords.

The Bill was originally scheduled for its third reading in January, but was subject to dela...

Garden Court North Chambers • 17th June 2026

Mira Hammad and Rosalind Burgin represent protesters charged with criminal damage for demonstration at Israeli-linked factory

The jury continues to deliberate over criminal damage charges brought against four protesters who staged a demonstration at an aerospace factory they believe is involved in the supply of arms to Israel.

Garden Court North’s Mira Hammad and Rosalind Burgin represent co-defendants Hisham Alkhamesi and Hana Yun Stevens during the trial at Birmingham Crown Court, which today (17 June...

Garden Court North Chambers • 11th May 2026

A Duty of Candour is desperately needed. Ten years on, why is Hillsborough Law stalled?

The below op-ed was written by Garden Court North’s Pete Weatherby KC, who has represented many of the bereaved families involved in justice campaigns including Hillsborough, Covid-19, Grenfell, and Manchester Arena bombing. Pete led the team which drafted the 2017 Hillsborough Bill, and is one of five Directors of Hillsborough...

Garden Court North Chambers • 16th April 2026

Nina Grahame KC in The Times: retirement, theatre to law, vulnerable female defendants

Garden Court North’s Nina Grahame KC has been featured in The Times’ ‘In Conversation’ column, in which she discusses her pending retirement, the litany of high-profile criminal cases she acted on, and some of the key issues she has championed throughout her 33 years at the Bar.

The column, published today (16 April 2026), also chronicles some of Nina’s life before coming...

Garden Court North Chambers • 14th April 2026

Southport Inquiry Phase 1 report finds “catastrophic” failures by multiple agencies

The Southport Inquiry’s Phase 1 report has found that the horrific knife attack at a children’s Taylor Swift dance event on 29 July 2024 was possible due to “catastrophic failures” by multiple agencies.

The report, published yesterday (13 April 2026) by Inquiry Chair Sir Adrian Fulford, condemned the...

Garden Court North Chambers • 10th April 2026

‘Candour & Communities’: Centre for People’s Justice launch Hillsborough Law exhibition

The Centre for People’s Justice has launched the ‘Candour & Communities’ exhibition at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, detailing 100 years of state-related disasters and cover-ups, and explaining Hillsborough Law to the public.

Hillsborough Law, or the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, would impose a Duty of Candour, Dut...

Garden Court North Chambers • 20th March 2026

Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 3 report: NHS was “on the brink of collapse” during the pandemic

The Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 3 report has found that the NHS “teetered on the brink of collapse” during the pandemic, only surviving because of the “superhuman” efforts of healthcare workers.

The Inquiry’s report, published yesterday (19 March 2026) by Inquiry Chair Baroness Heather Hallett, set out a number of findings from Module 3, which investigated the pandemi...

Garden Court North Chambers • 5th March 2026

Covid-19 Inquiry: Tenth and final module draws to a close

After three years, ten modules, and hundreds of hours of powerful evidence at Dorland House, London, Garden Court North’s Anna Morris KC delivered the final closing submission in Module 10 of the Covid-19 Inquiry on behalf of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice (CBFFJ) UK earlier today (5 March 2026).

“Every...

Garden Court North Chambers • 16th February 2026

High Court rules that proscription of Palestine Action was unlawful

At approximately 10am on Friday (13 February 2026), the High Court handed down its ruling that the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group was unlawful, “disproportionate” and should be overturned.

The High Court upheld two grounds of challenge, including that the ban disproportionately interfered with the...

Mining Technology • 30th January 2026

New president, new policy: Bolivia’s shift against lithium protectionism

The blindingly white salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni stretch across thousands of square kilometres in south-western Bolivia. On any given day, the Salar teems with hundreds of tourist excursion jeeps, harvester machines and specialist pumps for deep extraction of the vast lithium reserves hidden beneath the 8m-thick crust of the world’s largest salt flats.

Army Technology • 3rd January 2026

Airstrikes around Caracas as US “captures” Venezuelan President Maduro

Explosions rang out across the Venezuelan capital of Caracas in the early hours of 3 Janauary as the US Air Force “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela”, according to President Trump.

Low-flying MH-47 Chinook helicopters flew into Caracas unopposed earlier on Saturday as US military personnel captured and flew President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country in an unprecedented operation.CBS News reported that US officials said President Maduro had...

Garden Court North Chambers • 25th November 2025

Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 2 Report finds “inexcusable” mistakes and delayed lockdown led to 23,000 avoidable deaths

The Covid-19 Public Inquiry has published its second report investigating the government decision-making in the UK’s response to the pandemic, which determined that “inexcusable” mistakes and delays in imposing a lockdown led to approximately 23,000 avoidable deaths in the first wave leading up until 1 July 2020.

Baroness Hallett DBE, the Chair of the Inquiry, made 22 key findings about the emergence of...

Garden Court North Chambers • 29th October 2025

Court of Appeal grants Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori a judicial review

On 17 October, the Court of Appeal confirmed that Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori could pursue a judicial review against the organisation’s proscription by the Home Office.

Three judges, including the Lady Chief Justice, Sue Carr, upheld Mr Justice Chamberlain’s decision to grant the judicial review in July. In September, the Home Office appealed on the...

Garden Court North Chambers • 27th October 2025

Three years after his inquest, Awaab's Law comes into force

After years of campaigning, Awaab’s Law has today (27 October 2025) been passed into law.

It honours the legacy of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in 2020 due to “prolonged exposure” to mould in his home, a coroner concluded. Awaab’s family and NHS staff repeatedly reported the issue to the social housing provider, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, but the problem remained unresolved.

Garde...

Garden Court North Chambers • 21st October 2025

Georgia Barter’s inquest concludes in finding of unlawful killing resulting from domestic abuse

Georgia Barter died at Kings College Hospital on 26 April 2020, after being violently assaulted by her partner on or around 5 April 2020 and taking a fatal overdose. She had been subjected to around a decade of domestic abuse by her partner.

The inquest into Georgia’s death found that she was unlawfully killed and died as a result of domestic abuse. This...