Rights bill to be served up ‘shortly’
Rights bill to be served up ‘shortly’
But will it give MPs indigestion?
Dominic Raab’s Bill of Rights Bill will have its main second reading debate in the Commons “shortly”, the justice secretary promised MPs on 22 November. But when will that be?
Not next week, the leader of the house confirmed yesterday. A week later? I can’t imagine the business managers will want to serve up what Raab sees as a a major constitutional reform in the last week before the recess, when MPs’ thoughts will be turning instead to Christmas baubles and plum puddings.
January looks more likely. But will that leave the justice secretary with enough time to get his proposals enacted? And what challenges will he encounter on the way? These are the issues I explore in my latest column for the Law Society Gazette.
Update 8 December: The Times reports today that Rishi Sunak is understood to have told the Raab this week that he has “deprioritised” the Bill of Rights Bill. A similar report appears in the Daily Mail.
I’m not remotely surprised.
“Wilful”, “obstinate” and “under informed” are the POLITEST terms I can muster for Dominic Raab’s persistence over the Bill of NON Rights Bill.