To accompany a Live debate on the Human Rights Act on 1 July 2015, the Guardian newspaper would like to hear your views.
The Human Rights Act is derided by its critics as a “criminal’s charter” since it was introduced by Tony Blair in 1998, the Act’s days looked numbered when David Cameron was returned to Downing St in May with a Tory majority.
But within days of his victory, the manifesto promise to scrap the legislation and replace it with a new Bill of Rights had become dangerously divisive for his party. In the face of a brewing backbench rebellion and public opposition from prominent figures such as former attorney general Dominic Grieve, the commitment was promptly delayed to a period of consultation.
The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000. It is composed of a series of sections that have the effect of codifying the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law.
Find out more at the Equality & Human Rights Commission website. The Right to ‘protection from inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ has been used to protect people from mistreatment in the health and social care services.
What do you think? Should we keep the Human Rights Act or should we replace it with a new Bill of Rights? What are the arguments for scrapping it?
