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Majority backing for Northern Ireland Bill of Rights, says survey
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
A majority of people support calls for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland despite political divisions on the issue, according to new research released today.
The survey found 83% believe it is important the legislation, first promised in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, be introduced to protect the rights of all.
And despite political divisions between nationalist and unionist parties the survey carried out by independent market research agency Millward Brown Ulster found 81% of Protestants and 85% of Roman Catholics in favour of a bill.
The survey was commissioned by the Human Rights Consortium, which is campaigning for the bill, but it argued that the high level of support revealed by the research should boost calls for the legislation.
Consortium spokesman Kevin Hanratty said: "In light of the recent sectarian and racist attacks here, the need for a Bill of Rights which protects everyone and that unites communities is all the more obvious.
"We hope that local politicians and the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will hear that voice, loud and clear.
"Further delays in delivering a Bill of Rights are not acceptable and we urge the Secretary of State to announce a public consultation on this issue immediately."
The poll findings will be passed to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee which is researching the subject ahead of a Government consultation process expected for later this year.
The committee is also scheduled to hear evidence from Human Rights Commissioner Lady Daphne Trimble today in Westminster.
Lady Trimble dissented from the advice on a Bill of Rights which the Human Rights Commission handed to the Secretary of State in December 2008 and which was backed by eight of the 10 commissioners.
Critics have said the bill may have undue influence over public policy, taking power away from elected politicians and handing too much influence to the courts.
But supporters of the measure have said the same fears were raised over the introduction of the Human Rights Act in the UK in 1998, but failed to materialise.
The Human Rights Consortium is a coalition of 135 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), community and voluntary groups, and trade unions who are campaigning for a strong and inclusive Bill of Rights in the belief that it will strengthen protections and rights for all citizens.
There has been debate over the range of protections the bill should include.
Unionist political parties have sought to limit the bill's scope while nationalists have pressed for broader legislation.
But the Consortium said the research it had commissioned showed that support for the bill was growing, adding that the latest finds represent an increase of 13% from similar polling conducted in February of this year.
Mr Hanratty said: "We are delighted to be able to show the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee that there is increasing support for a strong Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland and crucially, that the support for the bill is across both main communities here.
"Rights do not have a colour or a religion, nor do they apply to one group of people more than another.
"Human rights are for everyone and a strong and enforceable Bill of Rights could be a step along the road to a more inclusive and equal Northern Ireland."
The group said the research, which surveyed 1,000 people across Northern Ireland, showed 83% of people believe it is important that Northern Ireland has a Bill of Rights.
The research also recorded high levels of support (96-97%) for the inclusion of social and economic rights, such as the right to work, health, an adequate standard of living and accommodation, in a Bill of Rights.
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As things stand we are vulnerable to the whims of the moment, public opinion is not always a good thing in terms of personal freedoms and protecting minorities. It is all to easy to whip up hysteria against the more vulnerable in our society using propoganda and sterotyping. You only have to look at the comments of Ian Jr and iris Robinson to know that the human rights of gay people are not safe in their hands. The only way to protect all is to include all equally in a Bill of Rights
Posted by David | 02.07.09, 11:23 GMT
Try reading the proposed "rights" in the bill of rights,... its a lawyers dream come true and its every spongers dream come true.
The bill of rights currently on the table, basically hands over responsibility for our lives, from the individual, to the state.
A large section of the population is already completely dependent on the state for housing, food, health, education etc.
It is a very unhealthy state of affairs when the state is responsible for so much, fostering such dependence.
Posted by oldsod | 02.07.09, 09:25 GMT
COSTA Rural SUpport Network.
'there is no way of getting legal redress (if for example the NHS breaches your privacy)'.
In this case you could seek redress under the Data protection Act 1998- actually a pretty draconian bill for information holders. You could also apply the privacy clauses under the Human Rights act.
Happy to help.
Posted by SteveW | 02.07.09, 09:21 GMT
The UK *has* a Bill of Rights. Passed in 1689, and used as the basis for the US Bill of Rights that was passed 100 years later. What use is it to pass a new one, when people seem to have forgotten that we have one already?
Posted by Steve | 01.07.09, 20:44 GMT
The Bill of Rights is long overdue. It will help protect the most vulnerable in our communities. The right to things like employment, education and health are the most importnant to most people, particularly in this economic climate. The more tools there are for the most marginalised to achieve these things the better. Government are just worried about their power over people being reduced.
Posted by jane | 01.07.09, 17:23 GMT
The fact is we don't have all the rights we need nor are they adequately protected by existing law - A Bill of Rights would help redress this. The other fact is that the law in the UK today does not protect all our rights - Privacy is just one of them! There is no Privacy Law in the UK today and there is no way of getting legal redress (if for example the NHS breaches your privacy). However, Human Rights Law actually does give you the legal powers to do something about it! So we need them!
Posted by COSTA Rural SUpport Network | 01.07.09, 16:49 GMT
Martin Luther King Jr said: "It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me and I think that is pretty important".
Posted by Patrick | 01.07.09, 16:06 GMT
The U.K. needs a BILL of RIGHTS as well as a CONTITUTION like AMERICANS have. If you take the time and read the two, you will see where I am coming from vrs what you have or I should say DO NOT HAVE.
Posted by phl | 01.07.09, 15:47 GMT
Come on Secretary of State - it's long overdue time to legislate for the Bill of Rights; we've waited long enough and there are few enough issues in Northern Ireland on which there are such levels of cross-community support.
Posted by Rachel | 01.07.09, 15:25 GMT
RUBBISH. We will accept a UK wide Bill of Rights not a separate one. Kevin Hanratty and his political tinkering. Polls are just ways of getting the answer you want.
Posted by Get Real | 01.07.09, 14:29 GMT
Completely agree with keith!
Posted by Karyn | 01.07.09, 14:14 GMT
Canada got a bill of rights when the constitution was repatriated. The only thing happened was discrimation against white people who were told you don't have any rights. It did nevertheless make a lot of lawyers very rich and the country a littel poorer defending the bill. Respect is earned not legislated
Posted by fred needham | 01.07.09, 13:21 GMT
On-going news of the progress of the peace-process jig-saw inching toward completion, highlights the pressing need for a comprehensive Bill of Rights for NI. The survey highlights the growing grass-roots support for such a Bill. Politicans from all parties need to take note and begin to show their concerted support for the Bill. It is imperative for the Goverment to act quickly to develop a Bill of Rights for NI. How long must we wait for the promised public consultation on this matter?
Posted by B Vallely | 01.07.09, 12:22 GMT
when asked if you want a bill of rights, most people will say yes because they vaguely feel that if they didnt have a bill of rights they would be missing out on something.
there is no list of rights that people are missing that has been building and building and has got to such a stage that there are enough rights to require a bill. we have all the rights we need to get on with our lives.
Posted by eranu | 01.07.09, 11:11 GMT
What a load of rubbish. A populist survey rather than one of those who know the legal needs. These rights are already in law - this is just to keep another quango in a job.
Posted by keith | 01.07.09, 11:00 GMT
It's high time that Shaun Woodward got on with legislating for the Bill of Rights. It's 11 years since the Belfast Agreement and people in NI are still waiting!
There aren't that many issues on which so many people from across the community are united in their support. This should be about people not party politics and it is clear that people want their rights protected, whatever some politicians say. Come on Secretary of State - do your job!
Posted by Rachel | 01.07.09, 08:47 GMT