BRIEFING WHAT IS DEMOCRATIC BACKSLIDING, AND IS THE UK AT RISK?

Is backsliding happening in the UK? Taking the four facets of backsliding outlined above, what are some of the specific concerns being raised in the UK? 1. [...] see Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law – and see the same organisation’s concerns about the international law implications of the Bill of Rights Bill). [...] These echo concerns about the Internal Market Bill in 2020, which led to the resignation of the then head of the Government Legal Department, and criticism from several former Prime Ministers and Conservative leaders, plus external expert bodies such as the Institute for Government and Public Law Project. [...] • The government has set out specific plans to reduce the influence of the courts, including through the proposed replacement of the Human Rights Act with the Bill of Rights Bill. [...] But the insidious nature of backsliding, and the example of countries like the US, show the dangers of complacency.