The British Tradition of Constitutional Rights Political freedom in the United Kingdom

But this belief also inspires a strong popular attachment to ‘rights’, which is one of the sturdiest elements in the reactive civil society of the United Kingdom. Indeed, for two-thirds of the population, ‘living in a free country’ is one of the two most important aspects of democracy (ICM 1994). Civil society in Britain is notable for the variety of expert and skilful organisations committed to human rights and democracy. In July 1995, the UN Human Rights Committee reported that the evidence from ‘a wide range’ of such bodies during its hearings on the UK human rights record ‘not only greatly assisted the Committee, but [was] also a tribute to the democratic nature of UK society’ (CCPR/C/798/Add. 55, para. 3).