Liberty Briefing Note on the Good Friday Agreement, Devolution, and the Human Rights Act

To repeal the HRA and incorporate any lesser standard of human rights protection would amount to a serious breach of the GFA, with disturbing consequences for Northern Ireland. As to the devolution arrangements, UK Government must seek the consent of the devolved governments and legislatures before attempting to implement any of its plans to alter the UK’s established system for human rights protection. Any other approach risks constitutional crisis. In any event, consent is very unlikely to be given.