Human Rights in 2015: Challenges and Opportunities14 March 2015Justice Student Human Rights Network Annual Conference

Angela PatrickDirector of Human Rights Policy, JUSTICE

www.JUSTICE.org.uk @JUSTICEhq

The tools of the JCHRA Big Year for…

© FCO

The tools of the JCHROur Latest Council Member

© FCO© Alan DR Brown

The tools of the JCHROdd One Out?

© FCO

© Loliloli

© Fox News

© Guardian© Loliloli

© Home Office

The tools of the JCHR

• Research and innovation– Delivering Justice in an Age of Austerity

(2015)• Westminster and Whitehall– Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015– Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

• Third party interventions– Belhaj [2014] EWCA Civ 1394

How JUSTICE works?

The tools of the JCHR

• R (Nicklinson) v Ministry of Justice [2014] UKSC 38

• Cheshire West v P [2014] UKSC 19• Guardian News and Media Ltd - v - AB and

CD • Kennedy v The Charity Commission [2014]

UKSC 20• Austerity and justice:

– Gudanaviciene v Director of Legal Aid Casework; Lord Chancellor [2014] EWHC 1840 (Admin) (Exceptional Funding)

– R (Public Law Project) v Secretary of State for Justice [2014] EWHC 2365 (Admin) (Residence Test)

– R (MA) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2014] EWCA Civ 13

Top of the Pops?

The tools of the JCHR

• Hutchinson v UK• McHugh v UK• Digital Rights Ireland C-293

Top of the Pops Europe?

The tools of the JCHR2015: The Rights Election?

© British Library

The tools of the JCHR

Strategy Proposal?• Reinstating

Parliamentary Sovereignty

• Taking or leaving the “advice” of the ECtHR

• No remedy in “trivial” cases, only those considered “serious” after clarification.

• Amending the Ministerial Code

Response?• It didn’t go away.

See Sections 2, 3, 4, 6 HRA 1998.

• Article 46. Good for us; good for Russia (and Beijing, and Tehran)

• Ditto.• Taking human

rights beyond the courts? – see Sections 6, 10, 19 HRA 1998.

Protecting Human Rights in the UK?

The tools of the JCHR

• Draft Bill?• Wider considerations?– EU parallels and influences– Devolution– The Common Law

• The Brussels Declaration 2015• The Future of the European Convention on

Human Rights, Dec 2015• The Ballot and the Dispatch box….

2015: The Rights Election?

© British Library

The tools of the JCHR

• The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2016?

• The Counter-Terrorism, Security and Borders Act 2015?

• The Leveson Reforms (CrimPR for 2015)

• The Supreme Court & LASPO; Rounds 1-4…?

• Snowden meets Strasbourg; Rounds 1 & 2

Beyond the Debate?

The tools of the JCHR

• Research and education• Speaking to our membership and

beyond• Engaging our student membership

What role for JUSTICE?

Further reading

www.JUSTICE.org.uk @JUSTICEhq