As Home Secretary, Theresa May was more hostile to human rights than was any other cabinet minister in David Cameron's government. Now as Prime Minister she must not only make a definitive decision about where human rights fit in her vision of Britain but also whether they can have any place at all in light of the need to reconstruct Brexit Britain. Is this another piece of European clutter than needs now to be thrown out? Does the Human Rights Act get in the way of negotiating Brexit with the EU? Might it even prevent radical change on for eg immigration after Brexit is achieved? Or as many Tories have long argued, is the answer a new bill of rights for Britain? Or perhaps the answer is no change at all - might a defiantly unrepealable Human Rights Act be our lifeline to a civilised Continent, preserved until the country comes to its senses and returns to the European family? 

Conor Gearty launches his new book On Fantasy Island: Britain, Europe and Human Rights.

Conor Gearty (@conorgearty) is Director of the Institute of Public Affairs and Professor of Human Rights Law at LSE.

Sionaidh Douglas-Scott is Professor of European and Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford.

Steve Peers (@StevePeers) is Professor of EU Law & Human Rights Law at the University of Essex. 

Sir Stephen Sedley was a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales from 1999 to 2011 and is currently is a visiting professor at Oxford.

LSE Law (@lselaw) is an integral part of the School's mission, plays a major role in policy debates & in the education of lawyers and law teachers from around the world.

Keep up to date with what Brexit means for the UK and the wider world at LSE Brexit blog (@lsebrexitvote). 

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Podcast & Video

A podcast and video of this event is available to download from Human Rights after Brexit: still on fantasy island?

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