Delay in publishing UK bill of rights plans could affect Holyrood elections

Failure to timeously publish the UK government’s plans to replace the Human Rights Act with a UK bill of rights could affect May’s Holyrood elections MPs have warned the Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

Harriet Harman, Labour’s chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Human Rights has written to Mr Gove to tell him the Scottish Parliament has fewer than ten weeks “till the commencement of purdah”.

She said: “The Scottish Parliament has, through its European and External Relations Committee, considered the issue of the the potential implications for Scotland of the repeal of the Human Rights Act and its replacement with a British Bill of Rights in some considerable depth. Your consultation would undoubtedly benefit from their contribution. But bearing in mind the delay in publication of the consultation document it might be the case that they would not be able to comment as the consultation will overlap with purdah.

She added: “This would clearly inhibit the possibility of taking note of, and learning from, the specific and different cultural traditions – particularly of Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman responded by saying: “We adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods.”

He added: “We will engage fully with the devolved administrations, as well as with the public, legal, academic and civil society stakeholders across all of the UK, in the development of this work.”