The impact of BREXIT on human rights in the United Kingdom is at present uncertain. It is clear that the elimination of European oversight over the many social gains that we now think off as ‘human rights’ exposes such guarantees to governmental attack, but of course it does not follow from this that such assaults are inevitable.
A mechanism for their dilution will be available to the authorities here post-BREXIT, and as things stand their removal may not even involve substantive parliamentary oversight. Historically the UK government has strongly opposed much of Europe’s social rights agenda. So will time soon be up for such rights as paid holidays, equal pay, maternity leave, agency protections, and much else besides?
This lecture is part of the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Programme on Brexit.
Conor Gearty is Professor of Human Rights Law, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Law.
Kevin Featherstone is Head of the European Institute, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳.
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