Liberty - Protecting civil liberties, promoting human rights
Current bills
Current bills
Where proposals in a Bill have implications for human rights and civil liberties we use lobbying, campaigning and media coverage to persuade MPs and Peers to vote for alternative measures. In this section you can see which stage each Bill is at, read our briefings and find out how you can help us influence a key vote.
- This long-awaited Bill aims to fulfil a Coalition commitment to reverse the erosion of our civil liberties that we have seen in recent years. Heralded by the Deputy Prime Minister as the vehicle by which the Coalition would “restore Britain’s traditions of freedom and fairness”, Liberty had high expectations of the Bill.
If passed, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill would implement two starkly different Government policies. Parts 1 and 2 of the Bill advance short-sighted proposals announced in March this year to reform the system for funding legal advice, assistance and representation in this country. If implemented, they would decimate the legal aid system, placing justice beyond the reach of many and creating alarming gaps in protection. Part 3 of the Bill would, by contrast, introduce a series of largely fair and sensible measures recognising the limitations of prison as a means of addressing offending behaviour and finding more efficient and effective ways of reducing future criminality.