Posted by The Law School
19 November 2024On Friday 8th November 2024, Dr Christine Bicknell presented a paper at a Conference convened by the University of Worcester Law School on the subject of The UK and International Law: a Troubled Relationship. The event drew experts on the UK’s constitution and in the field of international law and was attended by both academics and practitioners.
Christine spoke on the question: “Does the United Kingdom’s reception of International Human Rights Norms weaken its status as a liberal democracy?”
Beginning with the answer “probably not” Christine expanded by explaining the inclusive approach to liberal democracy of the UN human rights mechanisms. This begins with the Human Rights Council (and formerly the Commission) repeatedly indicating that democracy requires respect and protection of fundamental rights, then matching that with the accepted view rights are indivisible and interdependent. In 2024 the UK received its Concluding Observations from the Human Rights Committee and sent its response on the list of issues to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. On the latter, and in respect of minority and marginalised groups, the UK’s performance is notably poor. Accordingly Dr Bicknell argued the appropriateness of an inclusive approach to rights in three ways: to the norms that are recognized and upheld in the UK; to the list of fundamental rights that are protected; and to the people whose rights are offered protection.