Michael Grayshott

Michael Grayshott, a public and human rights lawyer, is currently writing a short history of offence and the criminal law.

The Pig Walked Free: Animal Trials

Michael Grayshott, 5 December 2013

Crucifixions, burnings, boilings: the walls, windows and alcoves of churches and cathedrals are adorned with all manner of sticky ends. The Church of the Holy Trinity in Falaise, Normandy once contained a unique example: a fresco on its western wall, dating from the late 14th century, depicted the death by hanging of a pig. The swine was no martyr, but a murderer. According to a contemporary...

Short Cuts: Topping up the Hereditaries

Michael Grayshott, 7 March 2013

With 760 members, the House of Lords is the second largest legislature in the world behind the National People’s Congress of China. If you ignore lower chambers and compare it only to other upper chambers, it is the largest by far: France’s Senate, its closest rival, has 348 members, Italy’s has 315 and Egypt’s 264. And the government is due to appoint a new batch of...

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