UK Government: Constitution, Rights and Democracy Commission

The Conservative Party Manifesto for the December 2019 elections stated on page 48:

“After Brexit we also need to look at the broader aspects of our constitution:

• The ability of our security services to defend us against terrorism and organised crime is critical. We will update the Human Rights Act and administrative law to ensure that there is a proper balance between the rights of individuals, our vital national security and effective government.
• We will ensure that judicial review is available to protect the rights of the individuals against an overbearing state, while ensuring that it is not abused to conduct politics by another means or to create needless delays.

In our first year we will set up a Constitution, Democracy & Rights Commission that will examine these issues in depth, and come up with proposals to restore trust in our institutions and in how our democracy operates.”

The Conservative Party and many of its MPs and Ministers have previously spoken about repealing the Human Rights Act or changing it to a British Bill of Rights. Civil society across the UK is concerned that this Commission must not water down human rights protections for ordinary people, but instead that it should strengthen them.