Reaction to the proposed Bill of Rights

This post offers links to comments about the government's proposed Bill of Rights. My own look at the Bill consist of three posts commencing at Law and Lawyers: Human Rights protection in the UK ~ the proposed Bill of Rights - No. 1 (obiterj.blogspot.com).

Under the Bill of Rights, the UK will remain a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights and the convention will continue to bind the UK in international law. The European Court of Human Rights operates under the aegis of the Council of Europe  (and not the European Union). Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in cases to which the UK is a party will continue to bind the UK.

The problem is that the proposed Bill of Rights will weaken the ability of UK courts and tribunals to both enforce and develop rights. It will become harder for individuals to enforce convention rights within the UK's legal system and this is likely to result in an increasing number of cases going to the European Court of Human Rights. Furthermore, the existing human rights framework is embedded into the Northern Ireland peace settlement of 1998. Reaction from Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK is awaited. The likelihood is that, in line with their previously stated stance, the Scottish government will oppose the Bill - The Human Rights Act and the British Bill of Rights - Human rights - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). The same reaction can be expected from Wales - Human rights act reform: a modern bill of rights | GOV.WALES

The Joint Committee on Human Rights produced a report in April 2022 - Human Rights Act Reform (parliament.uk) - pdf, 93 pages.

Follow the progress of the Bill at Bill of Rights Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament

*** Commentaries ***

Links to further commentary will be added as and when they become available.

Professor Mark Elliott of Cambridge University - Public Law for Everyone blog - 

https://publiclawforeveryone.com/2022/06/23/1000-words-the-bill-of-rights/

British Institute of Human Rights

https://www.bihr.org.uk/News/bor-22june2022

https://www.bihr.org.uk/rights-removal-bill-need-to-know

Justice

https://justice.org.uk/justice-responds-to-the-bill-of-rights-legislation/

Amnesty International UK

Petition - https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/save-our-rights

Sacha Deshmukh (Chief Executive Amnesty International) - "Ignore the name of this new legislation. It is a rights removal bill, and it will leave us all the poorer" - A British bill of rights? This draconian plan is a rights removal bill | Sacha Deshmukh | The Guardian. 

Law Society

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/contact-or-visit-us/press-office/press-releases/bill-of-rights-signals-collision-course-with-rule-of-law

Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law

https://binghamcentre.biicl.org/publications/qa-explaining-the-uk-governments-proposals-to-replace-the-human-rights-act-1998-and-the-implications-for-europe

Law and Policy blog

“Oh no, not again” – the story of the Human Rights Act and of the new “Bill of Rights” – The Law and Policy Blog (davidallengreen.com)

UK Constitutional Law Association

A number of posts about the Bill can be expected to appear on this website. An interesting, and somewhat different, angle is raised in this post by Tetyana Krupiy (Lecturer, Newcastle University) - Tetyana Krupiy: The Modern Bill of Rights creates barriers to challenging algorithmic decisions – UK Constitutional Law Association

A good analysis (dated 27 June 2022) by Daniella Lock - Daniella Lock: Three Ways the Bill of Rights Bill Undermines UK Sovereignty – UK Constitutional Law Association

Constitutional Law Matter - blog from University of Cambridge

What does the new Bill of Rights propose? – Constitutional Law Matters

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Our human rights work | Equality and Human Rights Commission (equalityhumanrights.com)

Media

The Tory bill of rights is a gift to the world’s tyrants | Letters | The Guardian

No 10 to set out sweeping plans to override power of human rights court | Human Rights Act | The Guardian

BBC Law in Action - Law in Action - Human Rights: Reforming the Law - BBC Sounds

Scottish Legal News - Faculty voices opposition to Bill of Rights | Scottish Legal News

Senior Council of Europe official urges UK not to repeal Human Rights Act | Council of Europe | The Guardian

25 January 2023 - Legislative Scrutiny: Bill of Rights Bill (parliament.uk)

Update 28 March 2023:

Joshua Rozenberg drew attention to a speech by Sir Nicholas Bratza - (a former President of the European Court of Human Rights) - Raab’s bill attacked again - by Joshua Rozenberg (substack.com)