UPDATE: reforming judicial review

In July the UK Government launched a new panel to examine the case for reforming judicial review. This follows on from the Conservative’s manifesto commitment to look at the role of courts and to ‘update the Human Rights Act’ during the general election in December 2019. 

Unlock Democracy has joined 40 human rights-focused organisations and 10 leading experts to oppose any attempt by the UK Government to restrict access to human rights, or to the law more generally through judicial review.

The position statement

While every system could be improved, and protecting rights and freedoms for all is a balancing act, our Human Rights Act is a proportionate and well-drafted protection for the fundamental liberties and responsibilities of everyone in this country.

The Act guarantees the rights to free speech and expression, to life, to liberty, to security, to privacy, to assembly, and to freedom of religion or belief. It prohibits torture and guarantees fair trials and the rule of law.

Judicial review is an indispensable mechanism for individuals to assert those rights and freedoms against the power of the state.

Strengthening the foundations of our democracy

Human rights and civil liberties are crucial for defining and limiting the role of the state, and a culture of respect for rights is essential to an effective democracy. 

Unlock Democracy campaigned for and strongly supports the Human Rights Act 1998 – which must remain the absolute minimum standard of protection across the UK.  

More recently, in February 2020, Unlock Democracy signed an open letter coordinated by Humanists  published by the Telegraph 

We will be campaigning for a rights and legal framework which gives members of the public the tools we need to challenge government overreach and uphold our rights. This is one brick in the foundation of a strong democracy, and right now we need those foundations to be strengthened, not weakened.