Britain and the European Convention on Human Rights

Adrian Grycuk (via Wikimedia Commons)

Speakers

• Andrea Coomber, Director of JUSTICE
• Dr Simon Heffer, The Daily Mail
• Professor Philippe Sands, UCL Laws

Chair 

Joshua Rozenberg, legal commentator and journalist for the BBC and the Guardian

This event will be introduced by Dr Virginia Mantouvalou, co-director of the UCL Institute for Human Rights and Reader in Human Rights and Labour Law at UCL Laws.

The European Court of Human Rights has come under attack in recent years. Critics suggest that the Court has gone too far in the interpretation of human rights, in a way that shows disrespect for decisions of democratically elected governments. The Court has also been criticised for micromanaging situations that should be left to national authorities to decide.

Proponents of the European human rights system, on the other hand, argue that the Convention is a living instrument, and that the Court is correctly placing limitations to what a democratically elected government can do, and that the fact that the Court is not democratically accountable is a strength in the area of human rights protection.

In this seminar, we will address both aspects of the debate and assess the arguments advanced. We will also consider the question whether the UK needs its own British Bill of Rights.

This event, co-organised with the UCL Institute for Human Rights, is part of a 2-year series on Britain & Europe in the course of which the UCL European Institute will host seven policy panels in London and Brussels, produce fact sheets and an online resource area, and run a dedicated blog.

How to register

Visit the UCL European Institute website to register for this event and find out more about the Britain and Europe series.

Register for tickets