Bulletin No. 18

Bulletin 18

The British Bill of Rights

Discussion: The British Bill of Rights.

The Human Rights Act (1998) is an Act which gives effect to guaranteed liberties and freedoms. The rights specified in the Human Rights Act (HRA) are derived from principles outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR),  and the HRA essentially grafts the ECHR into domestic law, thereby safeguarding many crucial human rights. Amnesty International highlights that the Act protects older people abused in care homes, disabled children requiring specialised transport to get to school, and protects women from domestic violence.

Despite the vast integral human rights covered by this Act, the Government is set to replace the Act with the British Bill of Rights. The Government’s main justifications have been released by the Ministry of Justice; these include, firstly, the issue that the HRA gives too much precedence to European law over UK law. Secondly, that the judiciary is also allocated too much power in the constitutional hierarchy.

Another reason outlined by the Government is alleged ‘rights inflation’ as the rights allocated to individuals have been increased and added to over the years to include a more comprehensive set of rights. Currently, if UK citizens feel that their rights have been breached, they are able to take their cases forward to the ECHR court in Strasbourg. The new Bill of Rights reduces this right, as it deems that the individual must have suffered a ‘significant disadvantage’ due to having their rights breached.

Despite government justifications, many Human Rights groups have expressed concern over the aims and possible outcomes of replacing the HRA (1998). The Bill of Right is set to make it more difficult, for instance, for British Armed Forces to be charged for war crimes, increasing the likelihood that future abuses of power may be overlooked. Stephanie Boyce, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said that the Bill may essentially “create an acceptable class of human rights abuses in the United Kingdom”. Amnesty International cites the HRA as a ‘minimum standard’ for the maintenance of human rights within the UK.

If you would like to educate yourself further, the Ministry of Justice has released the 123-page document “Human Rights Act Reform: A Modern Bill of Rights” which outlines the government’s plans and justifications for the new Bill of Rights. There is also an “easy-read” version providing a condensed, more comprehensive visual of the proposal.

Internal Opportunities

The University of Manchester Human Rights Society is a non-profit society on campus that you can join to learn more about human rights, meet like-minded people who are also passionate about the protection of human rights, and invest in social activism. Their campaigns vary across a range of human rights issues, and it is always worth keeping your eyes peeled for any socials coming up across the academic year. You can follow their instagram: @uomhumanrights

External Opportunities

The Boaz Trust, based in Greater Manchester, serves destitute asylum seekers and refugees, providing accommodation, legal support, and activities, while also campaigning for more just asylum systems in the UK. They release regular email newsletters to inform about refugee aid in the Greater Manchester area, as well as recruiting for jobs at their offices where you can make a real difference to refugees. You can contact them on their website: https://www.boaztrust.org.uk

Charity Spotlight

Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch as an organisation investigates and reports on human rights abuses and violations across the globe, holding abusers to account and bringing justice to victims. You can aid the cause by sharing their advocacy campaigns found on:  https://www.hrw.org/take-action

You can also follow their twitter @hrw