Downing Street Says » Bill of Rights

» Thursday, October 25, 2007

Bill of Rights

Asked why Britain needed a Bill of Rights and how would a 21st Century Bill of Rights differ from the one introduced in the 17th Century, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman told the assembled press that it was a subject that both the Prime Minister and the Justice Secretary would be touching on in their respective speeches later on. There was not much he could say in advance of that, just that the Government did say in July that it would be having a discussion and consultation on a Statement of British values, with a view potentially to a further consultation on a British Bill of Rights. Asked if it would be an updating of the existing bill or would the emphasis be on British values, the PMS said it was a very consultative, long-term process and people should wait until the speech and the statement had taken place, in order to have a more fruitful discussion.

Put that the Prime Minister’s speech and Jack Straw’s speech would cover the same subjects, the PMS replied that both would cover the general issues around the constitutional reform agenda. The Prime Minister would also be talking about general issues around liberty as well.

Asked if there would be more said in the Prime Minister’s speech on the benefits of a written constitution, the PMS said that he thought the Prime Minister would touch on these general issues, but he would also be focussing on some of the more specific issues that arose out of the constitutional reform agenda and issues talked about by the Prime Minister in July, as well as some of these long-term issues.

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