"Democracy and human rights in a changing constitution"

Professor David Feldman, Rouse Ball Professor of English Law, University of Cambridge presents... "Democracy and human rights in a changing constitution" It is a challenging time for both democracy and human rights. Democracy is threatened by foreign interference and domestic attacks on freedom of speech; human rights are politically contentious, and uncomfortable, politically inspired compromises are being made. In the UK, which used to have parliamentary democracy uncontroversially at the constitution's heart, international and domestic pressures are weakening power-centres and making it harder to give effect to important values. To overcome these problems, we need to be clear about core values and must be prepared to stand up to attacks on them. The talk will consider some of the issues which we, as academics and lawyers, have a special responsibility to address for the public good.