Sub-Committee publishes report on British Bill of Rights proposal

Date: 18th May 2016
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

The Lords EU Justice Sub Committee has published its report on the proposal of a British Bill of Rights. The Lords Committee have said that the evidence makes a 'forceful case' for the Government to think again on the policy.

The report says that the Government's proposals:

• Will not depart significantly from the existing Human Rights Act;
• Are likely to "affirm" in a Bill of Rights all the rights contained within European Convention on Human Rights [as Stated by the Secretary of State], making the necessity of a Bill of Rights unclear;
• May damage the UK's standing within the Council of Europe and the EU, and its moral authority internationally;
• May lead to an increasing reliance on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in UK courts if the scope of the Human Rights Act is reduced;
• Risk constitutional upheaval with the devolved nations, with the consequence that the proposed UK Bill of Rights could end up as an English Bill of Rights.
  
• Read the full Parliament article here.