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Human Rights: Reform

Criticisms of the Human Rights Act

  • 3 things to know
  • Components 2 and 3

Overview

Sovereignty criticism of the Human Rights Act, democratic legitimacy criticism and criticism concerning Strasbourg.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

What is the criticism about the balance between rights and responsibilities?

Evaluation

What is the sovereignty criticism of the Human Rights Act?

Evaluation

What is the democratic legitimacy criticism?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the sovereignty criticism of the Human Rights Act?

    Model answer

    Critics argue that the interpretive duty allows judges to rewrite statutes Parliament has enacted. Reading words into a provision is said to substitute the court's meaning for the one Parliament chose.

  2. 2

    What is the democratic legitimacy criticism?

    Model answer

    Critics argue that unelected judges decide contested questions of social policy under the guise of interpretation. Supporters reply that Parliament instructed the courts to do so and can legislate again at any time.

  3. 3

    What is the criticism concerning Strasbourg?

    Model answer

    Critics argue that section 2 has in practice tied domestic courts to a foreign court's case law. The mirror principle is said to have made domestic judges followers rather than developers of rights.

  4. 4

    What is the criticism about rights for the undeserving?

    Model answer

    Critics point to cases where prisoners, foreign offenders or those facing deportation have relied on Convention rights successfully. Supporters reply that a right available only to the popular is not a right at all.

  5. 5

    What is the criticism about the balance between rights and responsibilities?

    Model answer

    Critics argue that the Act sets out entitlements without corresponding duties. Supporters reply that limits are already built into the qualified rights. The Convention protects individuals against the state rather than regulating citizens.

  6. 6

    What is the criticism concerning Article 8 in immigration cases?

    Model answer

    Critics argue that the right to family life has been used to resist deportation in cases the public finds indefensible. Parliament responded by legislating on how the public interest should be weighed in such cases.

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Parliamentary and European Law Making
Delegated Legislation
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The court sits in .
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AAn interim injunction restrains publication before trial.
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A Public Bill changes the general law.
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