Which rights will Brits lose post-Brexit?
Amnesty says UK citizens will be ‘stripped’ of protections

Britain’s EU Withdrawal Bill “is set to substantially reduce rights in the UK” and may also harm British citizens living abroad, Amnesty International has warned.
According to the human rights organisation’s latest annual report, the UK’s decision not convert the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights into domestic law means British citizens will be “stripped” of protections such as the ability to bring a case to court founded on EU “general principles” - including the right to equality. Britain will also need to hold on to the principles of fair trials, free speech and decent labour standards, the report says.
“Under cover of Brexit, the Government is planning to strip the British public of protections - and people don’t even know their hard-won rights are under threat,” says Amnesty UK director Kate Allen.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Brexit could also inadvertently harm citizens abroad, as ministers may not press foreign nations on their human rights records in case it endangers trade deals, The Independent reports.
EU citizens’ rights in the UK is another matter entirely - and there are no clear answers yet.
According to The Times, Theresa May is planning to to a U-turn by allowing EU citizens who arrive in the UK during the post-Brexit transition to stay permanently. Only three weeks ago the Prime Minister said that those arriving after 29 March next year, when the UK leaves the EU, should not have the same rights as those who came before.
Downing Street “is now examining proposals to make a unilateral promise to EU citizens that they can remain if they arrive before the end of the transition period”, the newspaper says.
This would mean Brits living on the Continent could have fewer rights than EU citizens in the UK, since there is no guarantee that Brussels will offer the same terms.
A Dutch court in Amsterdam recently asked the European court for clarification in a case brought by five British nationals settled in the Netherlands. The group are making a legal bid to retain their EU citizenship after Brexit, arguing that their rights cannot be removed under European law.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 bunker-busting cartoons about the Israel-Iran war
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on Iran waiting for Pete Hegseth to leak war plans and Donald Trump's wish for a Nobel prize
-
Malaysia's delicious food and glorious beaches
The Week Recommends From 'colourful' George Town to the 'jungled interior' of Langkawi, Malaysia is incredibly diverse
-
Is the US sliding into autocracy?
Talking Point Donald Trump's use of federal troops on home ground, dismissal of dissent and 'braggadocious' military posturing are all symptoms of a shifting political culture
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?
Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Brexit 'reset' deal: how will it work?
In Depth Keir Stamer says the deal is a 'win-win', but he faces claims that he has 'surrendered' to Brussels on fishing rights
-
Are we entering the post-Brexit era?
Today's Big Question Keir Starmer's 'big bet' with his EU reset deal is that 'nobody really cares' about Brexit any more
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?
Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
Can Starmer sell himself as the 'tough on immigration' PM?
Today's Big Question Former human rights lawyer 'now needs to own the change – not just mouth the slogans' to win over a sceptical public
-
Has Starmer put Britain back on the world stage?
Talking Point UK takes leading role in Europe on Ukraine and Starmer praised as credible 'bridge' with the US under Trump
-
Left on read: Labour's WhatsApp dilemma
Talking Point Andrew Gwynne has been sacked as health minister over messages posted in a Labour WhatsApp group