The UK must stay a member of the Human Rights Court to successfully get a Brexit trade deal, according to documents seen by The Independent.
It comes just days after campaigners on both sides of the Irish border claimed ‘human rights’ were at stake, demanding that there should be no inequality of rights between those in the north and south.
Currently, the Prime Minister Theresa May is in talks with leaders from The European Union to negotiate the terms of our exit from the block in 2019.
Jog My Memory… The Human Rights Court?
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The Human Rights Court, which is based in Strasbourg in France, is the body which makes sure states stick to the obligations in the Human Rights Convention. It’s an institution with strong British roots – its first President was in fact from the UK.
The Human Rights Convention, which was brought into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998, protects all of our basic rights as human beings. This includes the right to life, free speech, education, and many others.
Crucially, the Human Rights Convention and the Human Rights Court are entirely separate to the European Union.
Right, So What Does This Document Say?
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According to The Independent, a leaked draft of a European Parliament motion says the UK must “continue to guarantee fundamental human rights as laid down in the Human Rights Convention.”
This goes against views previously aired by Theresa May, who said the UK should look to leave the body, regardless of the referendum result.
However, the Conservative manifesto later clarified they would put this on the backburner while negotiations with the EU were underway.
Other parts of the document give more insight into the progress of the talks. One section shows the UK has safeguarded the rights of the families of EU citizens living in the UK (which also includes unborn children).
Another shows the UK will continue to accept the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, and that the European Union accept Brits currently living in the EU will be able to move freely between other countries.
