Tories warned Rights Bill could cause abortion rows
THE winner of the Tory leadership race should have a “very careful look” at current plans for a British Bill of Rights, a Cabinet minister has said, as he warned they risk dragging Britain into Us-style rows over abortion.
Sir Robert Buckland, a former justice secretary who has returned to the Cabinet as Welsh Secretary, warned the Government’s current plans for human rights reform have “sown the seeds of danger”. Writing in today’s Daily Telegraph, he said plans to “elevate certain parts of our existing statute law” to be “rights” risk politicising the courts.
The Bill is expected to return to the Commons for a second reading next month, after the end of the Tory leadership election and Sir Robert said whichever candidate wins the race to No10 they should consider slimming the Bill down to avoid it being interpreted too widely. “This Bill is capable of further improvement ... in order to make sure that it effectively delivers on our manifesto commitments,” he said.
“I hope that the winning candidate has an early and very careful look at this issue to make sure that we get it right.”
Last night, a Government spokesman insisted the policy would not be changed, arguing that the Bill would allow the Government to more easily deport people and would prevent terrorists from proselytising in prisons.
Sir Robert warned more political courts could force Britain into Us-style rows over abortion if it was made a fundamental right.
“Already, there is talk about an amendment to create a right to abortion,” he said. “Whatever people’s views may be about this sensitive subject, Parliament has already legislated for it and its elevation into a ‘right’ risks bringing our courts into the political arena, as in the United States. What about socioeconomic “rights” to work and receive benefits, so beloved by the Left? All these could be tagged on to this ‘Christmas Tree’ Bill, like outsized baubles.”
The Government’s Bill of Rights was introduced to Parliament in June, and replaces the Human Rights Act, which was first passed in 1998.