No case for HRA reform

The MoJ consultation, ’Human Rights Act reform: a modern Bill of Rights’, closed last week apart from an extension for respondents with a visual impairment. Responding, the Law Society said there was no case for the reforms, and expressed concern the proposals would damage the rule of law, prevent access to justice, remove or reduce rights, lead to more cases being taken to the European Court of Human Rights, impact devolution, damage the UK's international reputation, reduce legal certainty and increase costs and complexity.

In its response, the Society of Labour Lawyers (SLL) said creating a permission hurdle for bringing human rights claims in the UK courts would have a ‘chilling effect’, deterring potential claimants.

Catherine Atkinson, chair of SLL, said: ‘Some of the proposals in the government’s consultation on the Human Rights Act are thinly veiled attempts to avoid being held to account.’

Read the consultation here.