‘The qualified nature of many of the rights protected by the HRA 1998 leaves too much leeway for the executive to interfere with them.’ Discuss.


  • In the UK, human rights are protected by the HRA 1998. The HRA gives effect to the human rights set out in the ECHR.
  • A public authority can sometimes interfere with your rights if it’s in the interest of the wider community or to protect other people’s rights.
  • Qualified rights may need to be balanced against other people’s rights or the rights of the wider community to achieve a fair outcome.
  • A public authority can only interfere with a qualified right if it’s allowed under the law. It must also show that it has a specific reason set out in HRA for interfering with your rights, also called a legitimate aim.
  • HRA says that the interference must be necessary in a democratic society.

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