Attorney General Dominic Grieve questions what Tories trying to achieve by replacing Human Rights Act with British Bill of Rights

Grieve warned the reputational consequences for Britain would be 'very considerable' if it were to abolish the Act

Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve has questioned what the Conservative party is trying to achieve through its plan to replace the Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights (PA)

The former Attorney General Dominic Grieve has questioned what the Conservative Party is trying to achieve through its plan to replace the Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights.

He urged a period of consultation ahead of a review before any changes are made and warned the reputational consequences for Britain would be “very considerable” if it were to abolish the Act.

The Tory MP also insisted there is no “quick fix” because the Act is “well embedded” in the constitutional settlements that underpin devolution, making it difficult to do anything against the wishes of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments. He told Sky News’ Murnaghan show yesterday that the Supreme Court is “already supreme” and suggested the Government was promising something that already exists. “It’s not at all clear as to what we are trying to achieve,” he said.

He also pointed out that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights would not make it easier to remove people from the UK, because the problems in doing so are often down to other countries refusing to take them.