The Human Rights Act 1998 was created to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people of Britain—technically, Europe! It makes sure that public bodies—like the government, police, and schools—treat people with fairness, respect, and dignity. Introduced in 1998, the Human Rights Act brought the rights outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights directly into UK law, allowing people to defend their rights in UK courts. So why are so many Conservative and Reform MPs set on scrapping it? The Human Rights Act means we can hold public bodies accountable—perhaps that is their motivation.
In Four Sentences
- The Human Rights Act 1998 protects the rights and freedoms of people in the UK by embedding European Convention rights into UK law.
- It ensures public bodies treat individuals with fairness, respect, and dignity.
- Allows people to defend their rights directly in UK courts.
- Raises the question: why are many Conservative and Reform MPs pushing to scrap it? Could it be because it holds public bodies accountable?