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United Kingdom

Monthly Updates

January 2023

The British government blocked a Scottish law that makes it easier for trans people to have their gender legally recognised. The Gender Recognition Reform Bill, passed by the Scottish Parliament in December 2022, made it possible for people over the age of 16 to change their gender on official documents by self-declaration, removing the requirement for a medical diagnosis. For the first time since devolution in 1999, the British government used its power to block the law, arguing that the law risks undermining UK-wide equality legislation. Kemi Badenoch, British Minister for Women and Equalities, stated that the law threatens to make it easier for predatory men to gain access to spaces intended for women. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s leader, called the move a Conservative party challenge to Scottish democracy, while also “weaponizing a stigmatised, vulnerable, often marginalised group.” 

November 2022

The Electoral Commission, election officials, local authorities and civil society organizations have voiced concerns over the Elections Act, as passed by Parliament in April 2022. Requiring voters to show photographic identification before being allowed to vote in parliamentary, local and certain other elections, the Act will apply to the local elections scheduled for May 2023. The list of acceptable forms of voter ID was published in secondary legislation this month and faced criticism for disproportionately approving forms of ID held by older people vis-a-vis younger generations. For those who do not hold an approved ID, a Voter Authority Certificate will be made available, although arrangements for this will not be finalized until January 2023 at the earliest. In private correspondence with the Government, it was also revealed this month that the Electoral Commission described the voter ID timeline as neither “workable” nor “secure” and warned that it has the potential to disenfranchise parts of the electorate, particularly those already marginalized. Its potential to polarize and affect trust in the electoral process has additionally been raised.

October 2022

Rishi Sunak has become the fifth Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in six years following a cursory Conservative Party leadership contest. His predecessor Liz Truss resigned following the continuing fallout from the ‘mini-budget’ in September, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom with a term of 45 days. Sunak has become the first UK Prime Minister of colour, and also the wealthiest, with him and his wife possessing double the wealth of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.

September 2022

After winning the Conservative Party leadership contest, Liz Truss succeeded Boris Johnson to become the fourth Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in six years. Johnson had announced his resignation in July 2022 following a set of scandals within the governing party, including ‘partygate’ – in which the now former Prime Minister was fined for breaking lockdown rules. Truss has faced an unstable start to her premiership, as the announcement of the ‘mini-budget’ led to turmoil in the financial markets, with the pound falling to an all-time low against the dollar and the Bank of England launching a £65 billion bailout for pension funds.

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GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
67 326 569
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (since 2022)
Head of government party
Conservative Party
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
First Past the Post
Women in lower or single chamber
34.70%
Women in upper chamber
28.60%
Last legislative election
2019
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
3.23
Head of state
King Charles III
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
05/04/2017
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
42.29%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
No Action
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Signatory
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 7 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
No Action
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
No Action
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
in
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Attributes Over Time

Representative government neutral Representative Government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Fundamental rights
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Checks on government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Impartial administration
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Participatory engagement
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023

GSoD Indices

Regime type
0 10