The UK, the EU and a British Bill of Rights

The EU Justice Committee, a sub-Committee of the United Kingdom House of Lords EU Select Committee, published a report on the 9 May 2016 on the UK Government’s proposal to introduce a UK Bill of Rights.

The Committee said the evidence they received 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.

• Primary Source

UK: Parliament: Parliamentary Business: Committees: News, 09.05.16: Sub-Committee publishes report on British Bill of Rights proposal http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/eu-justice-subcommittee/news-parliament-2015/hra-report-published/

ESO: Background information: Home Secretary’s speech on the UK, EU and our place in the world http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-home-secretarys-speech-on-the-uk-eu-and-our-place-in-the-world/

ESO: Background information: European rights: there is no going backwards http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-rights-there-is-no-going-backwards/

ESO: Background information: Explainer: What are the consequences for human rights if we change our relationship with the EU? http://www.europeansources.info/record/explainer-what-are-the-consequences-for-human-rights-if-we-change-our-relationship-with-the-eu/

Blog: UK in a Changing Europe: Explainer: Brexit and a British Bill of Rights: four scenarios for human rights http://ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/brexit-and-a-british-bill-of-rights-four-scenarios-for-human-rights/

The Conversation, 31.08.16: Why the case against the Human Rights Act is so weak https://theconversation.com/why-the-case-against-the-human-rights-act-is-so-weak-64629

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