Will 2013 be all rights?

Back in October, David Cameron announced that he wanted to scrap the Human Rights Act and, by way of a sop to the democrats who value human rights legislation. At the time, he was hinting that his Lib-Dem partners in the Coalition were putting the brakes on his efforts.

Cameron indicated that he would introduce a British Bill of Rights – in a move seen as an attempt to head off opposition from liberals and appease nationalists at the same time.

Just before Christmas, Amnesty International warned that a British Bill of Rights could be used like a Trojan Horse, diluting human rights in theUK. Amnesty was responding to a report from the Commission set up to determine whether a British Bill of Rights should be introduced. The Commission had been unable to agree on what would be the best way forward, with two members – Helena Kennedy and Phillipe Sands – expressing reservations about the British Bill of Rights approach.

Amnesty pointed to a further problem. The 1998 Peace Agreement had promised thatNorthern Irelandwould get a Bill of Rights, but this has not been delivered.  The current Government has been delaying progress because it was waiting to decide what Rights Acts would operate in the rest of theUK. Amnesty is now arguing that this excuse cannot hold any longer.

•To follow the international human rights work of Amnesty International, visit www.amnesty.org.uk .