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Rights and Duties

Is it high time the UK had a bill of rights like the US?

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Should the constitution specify the duties of a citizen? Should any of these duties be enforced and how? Is it high time the UK had a bill of rights like the US? If we were to leave the European Union which of your rights would you want to be protected?

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Hacking the Content 107 ideas

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In the first stage of Hacking the UK Constitution, we will crowdsource the contents of our new constitution. We need your input, so please add, vote, comment and share ideas!

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Right to national insurance (adpated from Conor Gearty's phrasing)

1 The State shall allocate funds for insurance-like services, paid-for in taxes and claimed-back as a right at other times in the citizen's life. The state shall account for the funds, predict future benefits, and not divert these funds to circuses or foreign wars or any other purpose. A commitment to the concept of a fund will serve until a real fund or funds are established. 2 The State shall co-operate with other similar social insurance systems around the world, and...

by John Robertson
Apr 2, 2015

by
John Robertson

Apr 2, 2015

Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause

The UK Constitution shall have an Equal Protection Clause that guarantees that no law shall treat people unequally. Obviously there will be some carved out exceptions in statutes, such as young children being legally forbidden from voting or driving, etc... The UK Constitution shall also have a Due Process Clause, that ensures that no person shall be deprived "due process" of the law. Below I re-worded the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause as found in the 14th Amendment...

by John Z
Feb 3, 2015

by
John Z

Feb 3, 2015

Freedom of Speech; Freedom of the Press; Right to Peaceful Assembly

Although the right for "freedom of speech", "freedom of the press", and the right to "peaceful assembly" are self evident human rights, we cannot take it for granted that the government may not try to suppress these rights someday. As such, these rights must be written into the UK Constitution. "Parliament shall ensure that the people have the right to freedom of speech, and of the press, and the right of the people to peaceably assemble, except as prescribed by law and is absolutely...

by John Z
Feb 7, 2015

by
John Z

Feb 7, 2015

Presumption of Innocence

Suggested constitution clause: 'Everyone has the right to be presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty of a crime by a court of law. That right shall extend beyond the concluded trial of an acquitted person and the state cannot cast doubt on any acquittal.' The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is usually consdidered to be a fair trial right. It has however, rightly in my view, been extended by the European Court of Human Rights to cover events which follow an...

by Ian Smith
Mar 2, 2015

by
Ian Smith

Mar 2, 2015

The Right to an Intrinsically Valuable Currency

The constitution should state categorically that the currency of the United Kingdom must have intrinsic value, such as the gold standard. The depreciation of the sterling over the time, the printing of money without any benchmark such as gold and the distribution of that money to institutions that favour the rich to acquire assets before its buying power is weakened is a deception and theft from the people of Britain.

by James Smith
Feb 2, 2015

by
James Smith

Feb 2, 2015

Financial Services Must be Regulated by the State

Suggested draft clause for the constitution: 'It is the responsibility of the state to regulate the financial markets and supply of financial services with the objective of ensuring the stability of markets and the protection of investors in financial services' Idea behind the draft clause: The reasons why the constitution should mandate that the state must regulate financial services are: - we have learned through history that the markets in financial services do not offer...

by Ian Smith
Apr 3, 2015

by
Ian Smith

Apr 3, 2015

The Child under the Constitution.

Draft-2, [ all amendments in 'bold' ] Now Draft 2b! i-Every child born within the Jurisdiction of the UK Constitution shall be considered to possess the status of Citizen, should the Parent or Legal- guardian of the child deny them this the child upon reaching 'majority' can seek to regain this status and regain this status without let or hindrance. ii-Every child shall from birth be accorded all the rights pertaining to an adult Citizen save where the Law sets limits (as to...

by Tom Austin
Apr 3, 2015

by
Tom Austin

Apr 3, 2015

The Constitution should have different Sections on different concepts

The Constitution should have different sections within the document. The Sections I can think of are as follows: + The Preamble + Government Powers/Limits of Government Powers + Bill of Rights + Miscellaneous Constitutional Amendments Naturally, each section shall have sub-sections (such as powers of the Government, powers of the Parliament, powers of the Judiciary). Perhaps a section on the Monarchy as well. By having different sections for different concepts, at least...

by John Z
Mar 27, 2015

by
John Z

Mar 27, 2015

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Obligation to Tackle Climate Change

Forget ideologies and party politics, we have a moral duty to come together in unity and do all we can to minimise what is to become the defining issue of our lives: Climate Change. We need to put in place a framework which gives the tools and accountable obligation to those in power to tackle an issue that if not dealt with, could become an ireversible and fatal threat to our futures. This is about action on climate change: Ensuring those in power cannot make it a side issue, ignored,...

by Abel McLinden
Jan 21, 2015

by
Abel McLinden

Jan 21, 2015

A fully literate society

Phase 2 final version: Every citizen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall have the right to learn how to speak, read, and write the English language. It shall be the responsibility of Parliament to ensure that programmes exist which serve to assist in this goal. I think this is clear enough that it is a right not an expectation on any individual. However, if the constitution were to have interpretation guidance written alongside, it should probably make clear that this provision...

by Daniel Gaunt
Feb 24, 2015

by
Daniel Gaunt

Feb 24, 2015

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