Equality and Human Rights Commission

The previous Government consulted with the public on the creation of a Bill of Rights for Britain, with the hope of enshrining civil and human rights into British law in a way that would build on the existing Human Rights Act. The Bill might, for example, extend responsibilities and rights in the area of economic and social rights and children's rights.

Although the debate has started, no proposals were made to Parliament before the general election in May 2010. Before the election, the Conservative Party indicated that it would introduce the Bill of Rights as a replacement to the Human Rights Act. Their bill would emphasise responsibilities and amend the scope of current protection.

The way the Bill of Rights evolves is pivotal to the Commission’s work. We have, therefore, developed a set of key principles that we believe are essential in developing a Bill of Rights that will give us all the protection we need as well as embed a greater understanding of human rights principles across society.

Find out more about our work on the Bill of Rights, our key principles, recently published research and our response to the previous Government's consultation.