THE government’s array of new legislative Bills presents a grave threat to women’s rights, campaigners have warned. 

The Queen’s Speech confirmed a series of new laws the government hopes to pass over the next year, which it claimed will “grow and strengthen the economy and help ease the cost of living for families.”

But its legislative agenda has been widely condemned, with the End Violence Against Women coalition warning today that out of the 38 Bills announced, the “vast majority risk undermining our fight to end violence against women.”

The campaigning coalition raised particular concern about plans to scrap the Human Rights Act, warning that this constitutes a direct attack on women’s rights and would “completely undermine the government’s stated commitment to addressing violence against women and girls.”

The Human Rights Act has long been an essential tool for survivors to challenge state failures to protect them from violence, the coalition explained, citing the case of serial rapist John Worboys. 

The Act enabled survivors of Mr Worboys’s attacks to sue London’s Metropolitan Police for failing to investigate allegations against the black-cab driver made years before he was arrested — over which time he is believed to have raped about 100 more women. 

The High Court found the women’s human rights had been breached at the hands of officers.

Campaigners welcomed a draft victims Bill but called for the government to include measures to ensure rape survivors can access independent legal advice and to address inequalities in access to support for marginalised groups. 

EVAW public affairs manager Janaya Walker said: “Alongside some opportunities for helping victims to access justice and support, the Queen’s Speech has also confirmed some really regressive legislative moves which represent a major setback in our fight to end violence against women and girls.

“Plans to scrap the Human Rights Act are a real low blow less than one year after government accepted that the criminal justice system fails rape victims and promised to right this wrong. 

“Instead, it now proceeds with proposals which threaten women’s ability to challenge the state’s failures to protect them as well as enabling the police and Crown Prosecution Service to evade scrutiny.”

Ms Walker also raised concerns about plans to introduce new curbs on protest contained in the Public Order Bill and vowed to continue to resist the “raid on our rights.”