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Call to adopt UK Bill of Rights | Call to adopt UK Bill of Rights |
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The government should adopt a Bill of Rights for the UK, a cross-party committee of MPs and peers has urged. | The government should adopt a Bill of Rights for the UK, a cross-party committee of MPs and peers has urged. |
The Joint Committee on Human Rights said the bill should go further than current human rights legislation. | The Joint Committee on Human Rights said the bill should go further than current human rights legislation. |
The bill should give greater protection to groups such as children, the elderly and those with learning difficulties, it said in a report. | The bill should give greater protection to groups such as children, the elderly and those with learning difficulties, it said in a report. |
Labour and the Conservatives agree on the need for a new Bill of Rights, but differ on what areas it should cover. | Labour and the Conservatives agree on the need for a new Bill of Rights, but differ on what areas it should cover. |
The Conservatives have said they would bring in such a bill to replace the Human Rights Act. | |
'Vulnerable people' | |
The committee said the bill should include rights to housing, education and a healthy environment. | The committee said the bill should include rights to housing, education and a healthy environment. |
Its report referred to a survey conducted in 2006 when more than three-quarters of the people polled agreed that "Britain needs a Bill of Rights to protect the liberty of the individual". | Its report referred to a survey conducted in 2006 when more than three-quarters of the people polled agreed that "Britain needs a Bill of Rights to protect the liberty of the individual". |
The report said the new Bill should include all the rights spelt out in the Human Rights Act and then enshrine others in law. | The report said the new Bill should include all the rights spelt out in the Human Rights Act and then enshrine others in law. |
HAVE YOUR SAYA Bill of Rights is a good idea in an age when people are under increasing threat of exploitationStuart, BristolSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYA Bill of Rights is a good idea in an age when people are under increasing threat of exploitationStuart, BristolSend us your comments |
The report said: "We recommend for inclusion, amongst others, the right to trial by jury, the right to administrative justice and international human rights as yet not incorporated into UK law. | The report said: "We recommend for inclusion, amongst others, the right to trial by jury, the right to administrative justice and international human rights as yet not incorporated into UK law. |
"We believe that there is a strong case for... detailed rights for children, and we recommend that the public should be consulted about including specific rights for other vulnerable groups." | "We believe that there is a strong case for... detailed rights for children, and we recommend that the public should be consulted about including specific rights for other vulnerable groups." |
The Bill would also encompass Britons' social and economic rights, including the right to health, housing, education and an adequate standard of living, the report said. | The Bill would also encompass Britons' social and economic rights, including the right to health, housing, education and an adequate standard of living, the report said. |
The committee said these elements would help to distinguish the Bill of Rights from current human rights legislation. | The committee said these elements would help to distinguish the Bill of Rights from current human rights legislation. |
"Rights such as the right to adequate healthcare, to education and to protection against the worst extremes of poverty touch the substance of people's everyday lives. | "Rights such as the right to adequate healthcare, to education and to protection against the worst extremes of poverty touch the substance of people's everyday lives. |
"And it would help to correct the popular misconception that human rights are a charter for criminals and terrorists," it went on. | "And it would help to correct the popular misconception that human rights are a charter for criminals and terrorists," it went on. |
'Little person' | |
Andrew Dismore, chairman of the joint committee, said a Bill of Rights would be a "constitutional landmark". | |
"It would provide a framework both for protecting the liberty of the individual against the intrusion of state power, and for protecting the 'little person' against powerful interests," he said. | |
But Shami Chakrabarti, director of campaign group Liberty, said that while the committee had made "vital contributions to our freedom and security", this latest ambition would be hard to achieve. | |
"Building on existing protections is a noble aspiration which will be difficult to fulfil as long as so many other politicians denigrate our existing Bill of Rights - the Human Rights Act - in thought, word and deed," she said. | |
The government said last year it would look into the possibility of a new Bill of Rights. | The government said last year it would look into the possibility of a new Bill of Rights. |