Importance of rule of law as House of Lords debates UK Internal Market Bill

“The rule of law is not just something to be respected; it is something to be protected and valued,” says Amanda Millar, President of the Law Society of Scotland.

The House of Lords will today debate parts of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which, if passed, the Society believes would breach the Withdrawal Agreement which came into force earlier this year. Staff and volunteer committee members, who have expertise in a range of legal areas have made clear their concerns in a series of briefings issued at previous stages of the Bill.

Amanda explains, “Adherence to the rule of law underpins our democracy and our society. To knowingly break with the UK’s reputation for following public international law could have far-reaching economic, legal and political consequences and should not be taken lightly. While amendments were incorporated into the bill in the House of Commons following protest from backbench MPs, these only address the process by which the relevant clauses would come into effect. We encourage members of the House of Lords to reflect carefully on the message this sends to the international community, and either remove those clauses or consider further amendments to prevent any possibility of the UK being in breach of international law.”