The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have published a new Enforcement Guide which may improve their performance. Too often investigating potential offences takes too long and progress is hidden from those affected.
The FCA says: “we recognised that our average investigation times were too long. We have focused our portfolio of enforcement cases in line with our strategic priorities and significantly accelerated our investigations.
Our consultation included proposals for a new investigation publicity policy to provide a measured increase in transparency under a ‘public interest’ test. Following feedback to our consultation, we revised these proposals and limited the resulting policy changes”.
See https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/policy/ps25-5.pdf for details.
Another legal shortfall has been the recent conviction of Hamit Coskun who was found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence, namely, disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress by burning a Koran.
Mr Coskun said: “This decision is an assault on free speech and will deter others from exercising their democratic rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. As an activist, I will continue to campaign against the threat of Islam. Christian Blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago and it cannot be right to prosecute someone for blaspheming against Islam. Would I have been prosecuted if I’d set fire to a copy of the bible outside Westminster Abbey? I doubt it.”
The Free Speech Union (FSU) has supported the legal opposition and subsequent appeal. See https://freespeechunion.org/
My opinion (being an atheist) is that the law should not interfere in religious matters or any attempts to limit free speech on the grounds that someone might be offended by religious opinions. Please support the FSU.
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://x.com/RogerWLawson )
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