Britain takes another step toward a new Bill of Rights

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The London School of Economics has commenced a project to help pave the way
for strengthened constitutional rights in Britain. The initiative is to be
conducted over the next two years by the School’s newly formed Policy
Engagement Research Group that was founded earlier this year by Privacy
International’s Simon Davies and Gus Hosein.

The issue of constitutional reform, particularly a Bill of Rights, is on
the agenda of the main political parties. This year, Opposition Leader
David Cameron has made a commitment to replace the Human Rights Act with a
Bill of Rights, while the Liberal Democrats are committed to a written
constitution. Currently Britain relies on the Human Rights Act as the basis
for protections contained in the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK
legal provisions are considered by many to be inadequate.

The LSE venture called “Future Britain” will undertake a substantial
research effort and a national consultation to foster the debate about how
Britain should choose and implement a new Bill of Rights. Its aim is to
discover how other nations have considered such questions and then, through
broad consultation and outreach, assess these options in the context of a
modern Britain to see which may be most appropriate and which are most
likely to succeed.

The project supporters say its most important contribution will be to
create a neutral space for engagement. Future Britain aims to be the vehicle
that engages and informs the UK on the issue of constitutional rights reform
and might well be viewed as the first structured phase in the long road to
entrenching rights in a written British constitution. It will be formally
launched in February 2007. In the meantime the LSE will consult with
constitutional experts and rights groups to arrive at the project terms of
reference.

The initiative has the support of both the Conservatives and the Liberal
Democrats and will work with a wide range of groups including Justice,
Charter 88 and the UCL Constitution Unit.

Further information can be obtained through Simon Davies at

Cameron proposes UK Bill of Rights (26.06.2006)
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,,1805902,00.html

Attorney General considers written constitution (9.10.2006)
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/domestic-policy/constitution/monarchy/britain
-should-seriously-consider-written-constitution-$454076.htm

Liberal Democrat commitment to Bill of Rights (01.2005)
http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/policies/11CivilLiberties.pdf