Human rights laws in Britain are a success and need to be defended and extended, argues the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The EHRC praised legislation for letting people exercise their human rights without the time and expense of involving European courts.

But the EHRC is keen to point out that lawmakers can sit back and relax because there is room for improvement.

The EHRC was making a submission to the government’s commission on the proposed bill of rights.

In the submission, the EHRC says the mechanism of the Human Rights Act are essential for the protecting human rights inBritain, while arguing that the law is ‘well crafted to balance Britain’s international obligations with its constitutional conventions’.

John Wadham, of the EHRC, said: ‘We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on a possible UK Bill of Rights. Our position is that if any Bill of Rights were developed it should only build on the rights and mechanisms contained in the Human Rights Act.’

The Commission on a Bill of Rights was established in March to investigate the case for a new British Bill of Rights, with the terms of reference to look at a bill that incorporates and builds on the European Convention on Human Rights, ensuring that these rights continue to be enshrined in UK law while protecting and extending liberties

“The Human Rights Act is essential for the protection of human rights in the United Kingdom and is well crafted to balance Britain’s international obligations with our constitutional conventions. In particular, it maintains parliamentary sovereignty and a primary role for judges in the

interpretation of the Convention,” says the EHRC submission.

“The Equality and Human Rights Commission welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the debate on a possible UK Bill of Rights. However, if a Bill of Rights was developed to replace the Human Rights Act, our position is that it should not be brought into force until and unless it contains at least the same levels of protection of rights and mechanisms as the Human Rights Act, and complies with Britain’s international obligations.”

The Commission on a Bill of Rights is due to report by the end of next year.