Thread by @libertyhq

The consultation on Gov's 'overhaul' of the #HumanRightsAct closed yesterday (if you need easy read or audio, deadline is 19 April).

A quick look around shows:

1⃣lots of love for the HRA

2⃣a clear rejection of Gov's attempts to weaken rights to make itself untouchable

⬇️⬇️⬇️

First up, our own response...

"Our starting point is that we dispute the premise underlying the exercise."

It doesn't get any better for Gov from there tbh

https://twitter.com/libertyhq/status/1501193717667016705

A superb thread from @JUSTICEhq (consultation response at the end)

"The HRA is a well-crafted, delicately balanced piece of legislation... the Government’s Consultation lacks any evidential basis to support reforms"

https://twitter.com/JUSTICEhq/status/1501266958053957639

"The government has failed on any serious measure to make an effective case for its proposals."

@publiclawprojct

https://twitter.com/publiclawprojct/status/1501250737707360258

"Replacing the HRA would have negative consequences on people’s rights, incl disabled people, people living with long term conditions, unpaid carers, as well as people with other protected characteristics and from other marginalised groups."

@ALLIANCEScot

https://twitter.com/ALLIANCEScot/status/1501187463620042753

"Any conversation about a UK Bill of Rights should be about increasing our rights - not undermining them or making it more difficult to hold UK Government to account."

@JustFairUK

https://twitter.com/JustFairUK/status/1500861905426128897

"Mermaids and other LGBTQIA+ organisations are deeply concerned about the Government’s proposals, which could erode our rights to privacy, and diminish public bodies’ obligations to proactively protect our rights."

@Mermaids_Gender

https://twitter.com/Mermaids_Gender/status/1501250663644340228

"We are very concerned about proposals that seek to limit human rights for particular groups. The
HRA is universal and applies to all. Limiting the rights of some people weakens human rights protection for all, and sets dangerous precedents."

@womensaid

https://twitter.com/womensaid/status/1501125092763443200

Gov's plan could "remove the rights of people who have been in trouble with the law, reinforce poor treatment of racially minoritised people + victims of abuse + exploitation, + weaken safeguards against rights abuses in private prisons."

@TheHowardLeague

https://twitter.com/TheHowardLeague/status/1501214785622487044

"We hope the Government will [...] abandon its plans which will gravely undermine the values of fairness, justice and equality which underpin our society."

@LeighDay_Law

https://twitter.com/LeighDay_Law/status/1501239988146651143

"We join children’s rights alliances across the UK to express our widespread concerns as to the significant impact of the proposals on children. We propose that the HRA does not get repealed or replaced."

@together_sacr

https://twitter.com/together_sacr/status/1499781098418618373

"Proposed changes will undermine fundamental support & protection for victims of modern slavery. Rather than tackling the causes of human trafficking & creating meaningful pathways out of exploitation, Gov is trying to evade accountability"

@FocusOnLabour

https://twitter.com/FocusOnLabour/status/1501505467264249856

"BID's view is that the government’s proposals for reforming the Human Rights Act are incoherent, unnecessary, and would have the consequence of diminishing human rights protection in the UK."

@BIDdetention

https://twitter.com/BIDdetention/status/1501500279845498881

"Far from supporting a culture of respect for human rights in the UK, these proposals are a power-grab by the UK Government which would decrease accountability of the state"

@BIHRhumanrights

https://twitter.com/BIHRhumanrights/status/1501483002802671619

"The Human Rights Act is an essential tool that empowers ordinary people to challenge public bodies when they make harmful decisions, and
hold them to account... It's working effectively and there is no evidenced-based case to replace it."

@EquallyOurs

https://twitter.com/EquallyOurs/status/1501249994783064064

"Gov's proposals will concentrate power in the hands of the Govt & create barriers to justice"

@BigBrotherWatch

https://twitter.com/BigBrotherWatch/status/1501172560385519617

"This proposal - together with Nationality & Borders Bill, and the Policing Bill - is a terrifying attempt by the UK government to divide people and communities by creating two types of citizens: deserving and undeserving citizens."

@justcitizens

https://twitter.com/justcitizens/status/1501177927949594625

"Replacing the HRA with a new Bill of Rights would fundamentally reduce everyone’s access to their human rights, and this would particularly impact people who are most at risk of rights breaches."

@justrightscot

https://twitter.com/justrightscot/status/1501255865759723523

"The Government is introducing changes that would make the state less accountable. This undermines a crucial element of the rule of law, preventing people from challenging illegitimate uses of power."

@TheLawSociety

https://twitter.com/TheLawSociety/status/1501543637313753090

"Fundamentally, the problems with The Human Rights Act that this consultation claims it wants to rectify simply do not exist."

@PILSni

https://mobile.twitter.com/PILSni/status/1501246756557889544

"We are extremely concerned that the proposals in this consultation will severely limit the ability of people in prison to seek redress when their human rights have been violated."

@PRTuk

https://twitter.com/PRTuk/status/1499034876678451208

"Looking through the lens of Jewish religion, history, and values, we do not agree with the premise of this consultation. The Human Rights Act does not need replacing with a Bill of Rights. Indeed, the Human Rights Act is a Bill of Rights."

@Rene_Cassin

https://twitter.com/Rene_Cassin/status/1501137577503514625

"No reforms to the HRA are required"

@DurhamHRC

https://twitter.com/DurhamHRC/status/1501141516097671169

"We see no need to diminish in any way the protections that the HRA currently offers to the people of Northern Ireland."

@QUBHRC

https://twitter.com/QUBHRC/status/1501254452723863556

"There is no evidence to suggest that the changes envisaged within this consultation are either necessary or desirable"

@YLALawyers

https://twitter.com/YLALawyers/status/1501485944226160640

And let's not forget the public are also against this Government's attempts to shut down the ways people can hold it to account.

There's a simple way out of this mess: leave our #HumanRightsAct alone.

https://twitter.com/LawCentres/status/1501483123665735681