Quakers appalled by Human Rights Act "overhaul"

We are appalled by government plans to weaken the Human Rights Act. We believe the proposals are unnecessary and will undermine all our rights.

Justice statue at OldBailey
Statue of 'Justice', Old Bailey, London. Image: Lonpicman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Many of the plans in the new consultation (offsite link) go against the Independent Human Rights Act Review (offsite link) report, which Quakers fed into via the British Institute of Human Rights. Legal experts say the proposals will make it harder for people to access justice when their rights have been violated.

We are particularly troubled by the government's plans to link human rights to perceived good conduct. This means that people convicted of a crime, particularly those who are not UK citizens, could have their rights violated with impunity because they are seen to have committed wrongdoing.

Paul Parker, Recording Clerk of Quakers in Britain, said:

“These proposals violate the Quaker values of equality and justice. We believe that every human being is a child of God and deserves dignity and compassion, regardless of what they have done or where they are from. Coupled with the legislation the government is trying to pass, such as the Policing Bill, these plans will undermine our democracy. We will work with other civil society organisations to challenge this and promote our vision of a fairer society."

Find out more about Quaker concerns