Jennifer Blair
@squeakinglyjen.bsky.social
Feminist lawyer, Classicist, barrister at No5 Chambers. She/her or They/them pronouns
Or their definition of legal representation basically being a duty phone line or something.
January 14, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Or their definition of legal representation basically being a duty phone line or something.
I'm a bit concerned that the main reason for the new body seems to be to give Parliament more control over their procedures and administration (and yes recruitment), but a bit alarmed about the prospect of a new DfT appearing.
January 14, 2026 at 9:45 AM
I'm a bit concerned that the main reason for the new body seems to be to give Parliament more control over their procedures and administration (and yes recruitment), but a bit alarmed about the prospect of a new DfT appearing.
I think charities still use cheques. I opened a community organisation bank account recently and got a chequebook and paying in book. Weirdly paying in cash is actually harder for me because I don't live near a branch and you can photograph or even just post to branch a cheque but not cash.
August 7, 2025 at 9:25 AM
I think charities still use cheques. I opened a community organisation bank account recently and got a chequebook and paying in book. Weirdly paying in cash is actually harder for me because I don't live near a branch and you can photograph or even just post to branch a cheque but not cash.
Reposted by Jennifer Blair
Reverend Clive Foster speaking as the first Windrush Commissioner. He talks of encountering the scandal & those affected in his Nottingham church.
"One by one, people came quietly and anxiously ... people who suddenly feared being treated as strangers in the only country they had ever known"
"One by one, people came quietly and anxiously ... people who suddenly feared being treated as strangers in the only country they had ever known"
July 16, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Reverend Clive Foster speaking as the first Windrush Commissioner. He talks of encountering the scandal & those affected in his Nottingham church.
"One by one, people came quietly and anxiously ... people who suddenly feared being treated as strangers in the only country they had ever known"
"One by one, people came quietly and anxiously ... people who suddenly feared being treated as strangers in the only country they had ever known"
It's one thing to have rules - as strict as you like - about who can come and study and work in the UK but it's totally different when you have rules that keep a husband and wife apart. It's not a comparative situation. The requirements should be extremely modest, like in other countries.
June 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
It's one thing to have rules - as strict as you like - about who can come and study and work in the UK but it's totally different when you have rules that keep a husband and wife apart. It's not a comparative situation. The requirements should be extremely modest, like in other countries.
I was appalled at the pressure put on her, just for her to have her husband live with her. Of course he'd work once here, but that couldn't be considered in the test. Just her earnings. We had a hearing adjourned and she put her head on the table and sobbed because it meant she had to keep going.
June 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I was appalled at the pressure put on her, just for her to have her husband live with her. Of course he'd work once here, but that couldn't be considered in the test. Just her earnings. We had a hearing adjourned and she put her head on the table and sobbed because it meant she had to keep going.
Her mental health was very badly affected by separation from her husband throughout that time and he was desperately worried about her. He couldn't get a visit visa to come to the UK. And she was working a full day as a careworker and then working a second job in the evening, again care work.
June 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Her mental health was very badly affected by separation from her husband throughout that time and he was desperately worried about her. He couldn't get a visit visa to come to the UK. And she was working a full day as a careworker and then working a second job in the evening, again care work.
She'd had a miscarriage but couldn't take time off sick (even though she was) because if she didn't work for 6 months consistently her partner visa couldn't go in. She couldn't visit her husband abroad after her miscarriage for the same reason. She therefore couldn't try again to get pregnant either
June 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
She'd had a miscarriage but couldn't take time off sick (even though she was) because if she didn't work for 6 months consistently her partner visa couldn't go in. She couldn't visit her husband abroad after her miscarriage for the same reason. She therefore couldn't try again to get pregnant either
The report doesn't really humanise the issues very much so I wanted to share an example of the cruelty of the financial requirement for partner visas. I represented a British woman working two jobs to bring her partner to the UK. 0 hours contract care work.
June 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
The report doesn't really humanise the issues very much so I wanted to share an example of the cruelty of the financial requirement for partner visas. I represented a British woman working two jobs to bring her partner to the UK. 0 hours contract care work.