Approximate read time: 15 minutes
Lord Harries of Pentregarth (Crossbench) introduced his private member’s bill, the Education (Values of British Citizenship) Bill [HL], in the House of Lords on 30 July 2024. It is due to receive its second reading on 18 October 2024. The bill would change the current list of ‘British values’ required to be taught in schools. It would require public authorities in England and Wales to include the following values in any statement relating to British values made for education purposes:
- democracy
- the rule of law
- freedom
- individual worth
- respect for the environment
The bill would also require these to be referred to as “values of British citizenship” in any such statements. In addition, it would provide clarification of the meaning of some of the values.
Schools are currently required to actively promote what the government terms ‘British values’. The 2010–15 coalition government introduced this requirement. These values are democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values were first set out in the 2011 ‘Prevent strategy’, which aims to prevent radicalisation and terrorism.
Lord Harries has argued that the current set of values are “lacking in a number of respects” and that this has been recognised by the House of Lords Citizenship and Civic Engagement Committee. He has said that his proposed changes would remove the current link to the Prevent strategy and address a “fundamental gap” in the current list of values: “the equal respect to be accorded to every person in our society”.
