Barristers have to work the next case as it becomes available. They can ask the judge to be recused from the case if they have grounds, but I don't think a UK judge would accept the barristers reasons in this sort of case.

Its up to the Bar.

In the UK the Crown prosecutes and uses barristers to do it. Barristers are a type of lawyer in the UK.

They haven't actually read the article and are just going off the title

Well the weapon laws was because a man went into a school and started killing children, something a worrying number of people in the US doesn't think is a problem.

They are literally self referring themselves to the bar over this.