Orr & Rountree Solicitors

30/05/2026

ive-year wait for unfair dismissal claims
People bringing unfair dismissal claims are waiting up to five years for their case to be heard due to unprecedented employment tribunal service delays in England and Wales. One individual, Catriona Ball, faces a five-year wait for her unfair dismissal claim to be heard. Her husband, Lewis, died in 2024 after quitting a job he believed was harming his health. Catriona filed her claim in February 2025, but the backlog of nearly 72,000 cases means she may not receive closure until 2029. Caspar Glynn KC, chair of the Employment Lawyers’ Association, commented: “A delay of five years is effectively economic servitude for that person.” The ELA is urging the Government to implement radical changes to address the delays.

29/05/2026

29/05/2026

Export deal could cut Brexit red tape
The Government has announced that from mid-2027, exporters of meat, plants, and packaging will no longer need costly veterinary certificates to meet EU standards. This change aims to alleviate the bureaucratic burden that has hindered UK food exports since Brexit. Biosecurity Minister Helene Hayman said deal could add £5.1bn a year to the economy.

29/05/2026

Five-year wait in England for unfair dismissal claims
People bringing unfair dismissal claims are waiting up to five years for their case to be heard due to unprecedented employment tribunal service delays in England and Wales. One individual, Catriona Ball, faces a five-year wait for her unfair dismissal claim to be heard. Her husband, Lewis, died in 2024 after quitting a job he believed was harming his health. Catriona filed her claim in February 2025, but the backlog of nearly 72,000 cases means she may not receive closure until 2029. Caspar Glynn KC, chair of the Employment Lawyers’ Association, commented: “A delay of five years is effectively economic servitude for that person.” The ELA is urging the Government to implement radical changes to address the delays.

29/05/2026

NDA proposal could disrupt workplace settlements
A Government proposal to ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in workplace harassment and discrimination cases may hinder dispute resolution outside tribunals. “Reducing the usefulness of an NDA could end up having a significant impact on the ability of employers and employees to resolve disputes outside the tribunal.” The proposal, part of the GB Employment Rights Act, is open for consultation until July 8.

28/05/2026

TAXATION: Probes into SMEs and individuals nets HMRC GBP24,700 per investigation

HMRC recovered GBP6.3 billion from 255,000 investigations into individuals and small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) last year, according to HMRC data obtained through a freedom of information request by accountancy firm UHY. The average tax take per investigation rose by 23 per cent to GBP24,700 in the latest data covering the tax year 2024/25. The accountancy firm said increasing tax complexity is leaving small businesses exposed, often through no fault of their own.

28/05/2026

Stamp duty receipts drop after tax changes
Rachel Reeves’s reduction of stamp duty thresholds has led to lower tax receipts, with £4.3bn collected in the first four months of the year, around 6% less than in 2025. The threshold cut from £250,000 to £125,000 increased costs for average buyers by £2,500, while first-time buyer relief fell from £425,000 to £300,000. Experts argue the changes slowed housing transactions, particularly in London and the South East, key regions generating roughly half of total stamp duty revenue in the UK

28/05/2026

Freelancer fights Bar Council’s internship scheme
Sophie Corcoran, a freelance journalist, is suing the Bar Council in in England over the 10,000 Interns Foundation over a work experience scheme that she claims discriminates against white applicants. Corcoran argues that the scheme, which offers placements to black students, is racially exclusive. “You could be disabled, on [free school meals], from a single-parent family, went to a failing state school etc. But to them, none of that disadvantage exists if you are white. You can only be disadvantaged if you are black.” She adds: “I found it difficult to believe that in modern Britain a professional opportunity could be limited in this way.” The Bar Council defends the scheme as lawful positive action under the Equality Act, aimed at addressing under-representation in the profession.

27/05/2026

A foreign murderer is deported each week
Since taking power, Labour has deported one foreign murderer weekly, with these among nearly 10,000 foreign offenders returned to their home countries. Those deported in the last year include 100 murderers, 600 sexual offenders, and 2,300 drug offenders. Albanians represent the largest group deported, with 1,541 sent back, primarily for drug offences. Anyone sentenced to more than a year in jail faces automatic removal under current legislation and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood plans to tighten deportation rules for lesser offences. Alex Norris, Border Security and Asylum Minister, said: “These figures show we are delivering on our

27/05/2026

Labour ‘turning a blind eye’ to sanctioned Russian banks
The Government has been accused of overlooking the fact that sanctioned Russian banks could benefit from British companies. The Conservatives have voiced concerns about a deal involving UK-listed mining company Glencore that could see British money ending up in with Russian state banks VTB and Sberbank. Dame Priti Patel said: “Labour are turning a blind eye to the possibility of sanctioned Russian banks benefiting from UK-listed firms.”

27/05/2026

UK sees £325bn of ‘dirty money’ a year
Research by the Finance Innovation Lab estimates that £325bn of illicit money flows through the UK annually, with this equating to more than 10% of GDP. This figure includes funds linked to corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion. The report highlights the UK’s role as a hub for dirty money, especially with its overseas territories. The APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax is backing the Finance Innovation Lab’s calls for Government action, including greater funding for state investigators including the National Crime Agency and Serious Fraud Office.