The Right to Decide

During the summer we briefly mentioned here the Commission on a Bill of Rights, specifically its consultation on what rights should be included in such a Bill, if the Coalition agrees that it would like one.

The consultation ends this weekend; the following is the response we have submitted:

“The Wessex Regionalist Party wishes to respond to questions 6 and 7 in the Commission’s Second Consultation Paper.

In addition to individual rights, the law should protect the collective right of self-government of communities expressed through their elected authorities. Westminster should have no power to dictate to such authorities how they organise themselves, how much money they can raise in taxation or what they can spend it on. Administrative review of their decisions – such as a developer’s right to appeal against the refusal of planning permission – should also be outlawed.

Such a move would help embed subsidiarity in English law. While the doctrine of Parliamentary sovereignty enables pressure from European institutions to be resisted, it remains hypocritical so long as it can be wielded to the detriment of local or regional autonomy.”