Last night, the Government agreed to explore ways in which rights currently protected by the European Charter of Fundamental Rights could be retained after Brexit. The move was in response to fears that the Government would face defeat if a vote on transposing the charter directly into UK law as part of the EU Withdrawal Bill came to a vote. Humanists UK, which joined a coalition of other charities in lobbying in favour of the Charter, has welcomed the Government’s acquiescence on this issue.
Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, who led on an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill in support of keeping the Charter, withdrew his amendment after Robert Buckland, the solicitor general, gave assurances that the Government would work with Grieve to see how the rights could be retained with a view to introducing its own amendment. A similar amendment put forward by Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn was narrowly defeated with only one Conservative MP voting against the Government whip.
The European Charter of Fundamental Rights came into force in 2009 under the Lisbon Treaty and brings together all of the rights protected by EU law into a single document. Currently, the EU Withdrawal Bill makes no provision for this Charter to become part of UK law after Brexit, as the Government maintains that the rights it confers already exist within our legal framework.
Ahead of the votes, the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) coordinated joint efforts by charities to support the retention of the Charter. Humanists UK supported these efforts.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented, ‘Humanists UK is working closely with the BIHR, the Fix the Bill coalition, and the Equality and Diversity Forum to ensure that human rights and equality protections are not lessened due to the passing of the EU Withdrawal Bill or as we go through the process of the UK’s exit from the EU.
‘We believe that the process of leaving the EU should not in any way lead to the reduction in citizens’ human rights protections, the standards by which those protections are held, nor the ability of an individual to access those protections. It is therefore very important that the rights conferred by the European Charter are enshrined into UK law. We welcome the Government’s acceptance that it needs to readdress how this can be done.’
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For further comment or information, please contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson on richy@humanists.uk or 020 3675 0959.
Read the joint statement coordinated by the British Institute of Human Rights: https://www.bihr.org.uk/JCHR-EU-joint-evidenceRead more about Humanists UK’s work on human rights and equality: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/human-rights-and-equality/
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies,
education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.
Humanists UK recently changed its name from the British Humanist Association: https://humanists.uk/2017/05/22/bha-becomes-humanists-uk/