There is already a British Bill of Rights, passed by Parliament in 1689 - but the rights relate to those of Parliament - and not the individual rights we have associated with "Bills of Right" since the 18th Century.The Green Paper "Rights and Responsibilities: developing our constitutional framework" was published yesterday. It is a consultation paper about rights and responsibilities - one option up for discussion is a legally enforceable Bill of Rights - though the government has signalled that it would prefer a more declaratory, but less enforceable, statement of rights.
It is a goldmine for students of the British constitution - and I recommend reading it closely.
The Green Paper is available at http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/rights-responsibilities.pdf
and the statement in the House of Commons is at http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090323/debtext/90323-0006.htm#0903235000003
The statement was also read out in the Lords - and the ensuing questions are available at http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90323-0005.htm#0903238000440
