The Nationality and Borders Bill and the Refugee Convention 1951
Richard Ekins, John Finnis and Simon MurrayWhat rights and protections does the Refugee Convention 1951 require the UK to afford to persons it recognises as Convention refugees? In answering this question, the Ninth and Twelfth Reports of the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the Nationality and Borders Bill fundamentally misunderstand the Convention, unwarrantably truncate its text, and misread – or fail to read – the UK Court decisions on which these Reports rely. This research note traces some of the Joint Committee’s missteps.
A Call for a Tall Buildings Policy
Ike IjehAs part of Policy Exchange’s Building Beautiful programme, new polling, in one of the most extensive surveys in years, has revealed the widespread public concern about the impact tall buildings have had on the heritage, character and appearance of London. The survey showed that an overwhelming majority (71%) believe tall buildings should not be allowed to interfere with historic views, with 70% believing they should fit in with their surroundings.
Great Restorations
William NicollePolling for Policy Exchange that finds each policy measure within the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution receives moderate or strong support. The results appear to vindicate short-term government strategy, with 73% supporting the use of public money to invest in residential energy efficiency measures and a majority of the population backing the ban of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Sunak should raise the lower tax threshold this autumn to put more money in people’s pockets
Related Content Higher inflation is inevitable. An economic slowdown is expected. Recession is possible. That is the economic outlook and challenge facing the UK. The question is whether policy makers are doing enough?This troubling economic climate is not unique to...
The Ukraine war has revived American leadership and dashed dreams of European autonomy
Related Content In the 1990s, Mark Eyskens, then Belgium’s foreign minister, described the EU as an economic giant, a political dwarf, and a military worm. This depiction has since been invoked in dozens of articles and speeches about EU foreign and security...
Romania and Moldova are now critical to Western defence and British strategy
For over two hundred years every single European war that Britain has been involved in has originated in the eastern half of the continent. From the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s, to the Crimean War in the 1850s, and from both World Wars – starting with Austro-Hungary’s shelling of Belgrade in late July 1914 and Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland in September 1939 – to the Bosnian and Kosovo Wars in the 1990s, it has been an iron rule of modern British history that military crises in Europe always come upon us from these eastern lands “of which we know little”.
Online Harms Bill reflects Policy Exchange proposals
A new Online Harms Bill, unveiled this week, includes measures that will force social media companies to delete harmful content or face fines of up to 10 per cent of their turnover and adopt a new code of conduct to protect children on the internet. The legislation builds on recommendations made in Policy Exchange’s 2017 report, The New Netwar, which called for ministers to “put in place a system of financial penalties, administered by the independent regulator, to force company compliance” and urged the adoption of a “more stringent codes of conduct”.
Policy win with MOD’s new Office of Net Assessment
In a recent speech the Defence Secretary, Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, announced the creation of a “Secretary of State’s Office of Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC)” encompassing war gaming, doctrine, red teaming and external academic analysis. Standing up a UK Office of Net Assessment reporting directly to the Defence Secretary – modelled on the Pentagon’s ONA – was the main recommendation of Policy Exchange’s 2018 report, A Question of Power: Towards Better UK Strategy Through Net Assessment, authored by Gabriel Elefteriu, with a Foreword by General Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, former Chief of the Defence Staff. The draft report’s reviewers included Air Marshal Ed Stringer, Director General of the UK Defence Academy and Joint Force Development who will now oversee the establishment of SONAC; and Professor John Bew, the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser for Foreign Affairs who is leading a No10 taskforce on the Government’s Integrated Review.
Sir Stephen Laws invited to help review the Human Rights Act
Policy Exchange congratulates Sir Stephen Laws KCB, QC (Hon), Senior Research Fellow in our Judicial Power Project and former First Parliamentary Counsel, on his appointment to serve on the independent panel to review the Human Rights Act 1998. The panel, chaired by Sir Peter Gross, former Lord Justice of Appeal, is to consider the Act’s operation over the past twenty years and the case for structural reform. In a lecture on the day of the panel’s announcement, Sir Peter referred to Policy Exchange’s work on Supreme Court reform, noting the foreword written by Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, former Chief Justice of England and Wales. Sir Stephen’s many publications for Policy Exchange on constitutional matters include this jointly authored submission to the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Read details of the announcement here.
Upcoming Events
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Sunday, 3 October, 2021 - Tuesday, 5 October, 2021
14:00 - 19:00
Policy Exchange at Conservative Party Conference 2021
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Monday, 27 September, 2021 - Tuesday, 28 September, 2021
12:00 - 19:00
Policy Exchange at Labour Party Conference 2021
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Wednesday, 15 September, 2021
15:00 - 16:00
As part of its Beyond COP26 programme, Policy Exchange is exploring the contribution that the UK can make to global action on climate change, and how this can contribute to growing the UK’s green economy and to the levelling up agenda.
In this event, four former UK Energy Secretaries will discuss the UK’s progress towards Net Zero, and where next for UK energy and climate change policy.
Venue: Policy Exchange
Address: