On 18 September, ACCPIL Co-Director Dr Erin Ferguson and PGR member Magdalena Zabrocka presented their research at a conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), hosted by the University of Leeds.
Erin presented her research on the impact of privatisation on the HRA, arguing that the scope of the Act has been narrowed by judicial interpretation of the meaning of ‘public functions.’ This research forms the basis of the book she is writing on privatisation and human rights, which calls for a principled approach to ensure that human rights protections are not eroded when public services are privatised.
Magdalena presented a talk titled ‘SLAPPs and Human Rights: The Rights of the Public from the Perspective of English Law.’ She argued that states have obligations to implement effective measures to counter strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) in order to protect human rights, including the right to freedom of expression (Article 10).
The conference provided an opportunity to reflect on how the HRA has shaped the legal landscape over the past 25 years and to consider how to challenge current narratives that undermine the HRA and the UK’s role in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) system.