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Unnecessary, unevidenced, unwanted’: joint civil society briefing calls for withdrawal of Bill of Rights

7 September 2022

VoiceAbility is one of 123 organisations calling for the withdrawal of the Bill of Rights, and the retention of the Human Rights Act.

This coalition spans many sectors, and this call is in line with the views of the Independent Human Rights Act Review, and the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Some of the Bill’s proposals have never been consulted on by government, and there is a severe lack of evidence of a need for the Bill as a whole. 

There is absolutely no need to repeal and replace the HRA, which has been vital to securing dignity, justice, and respect for individuals, families, and communities across the country over the past two decades.

The Human Rights Act empowers people to enforce their rights in practice, and enables people to challenge unlawful policies, be treated with dignity by public authorities, and secure justice for their loved ones. It’s what makes much of VoiceAbility’s work possible, and the removal of the Human Rights Act will have a negative impact on our clients.

All 650 MPs received a copy of the briefing when they returned to Parliament this week, ahead of the Bill of Rights’ second reading. You can read the full text of the briefing below.