The Government has pledged to replace the Human Right Act (1998) with a proposed British Bill of Rights. David Cameron has even said that doing so will safeguard the legacy of Magna Carta.
But what this actually involves is far from clear.
What, in the first place, is the relationship between the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and British law? Does it limit British sovereignty? Does it need reform?
What would be the impact on British withdrawal? Would this be a body blow to human rights everywhere, or a minor but necessary rebalancing of authority?
And what would a British Bill of Rights actual entail? What would it do that the European Convention does not?
Dominic Grieve is Conservative MP for Beaconsfield, Member of the Privy Council and former Attorney General. He has also spoken out against British Bill of Rights, saying that the Tory party’s intent to withdraw, “if pursued, threatens to make the ECHR inoperable.” He came to speak and answer questions on the British Bill of Rights at Theos on Thursday 4 February 2016.
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