Skip to main content

Potential impact of repealing the Human Rights Act on EU Law inquiry

Inquiry

The EU Justice Committee publishes its report on the Government’s proposal to introduce a UK Bill of Rights

The Committee says 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.