The president of the International Bar Association (IBA) has hit out at the UK government's indifference to its global campaign to strengthen the rule of law.

The campaign was launched at the association's 2005 annual conference in Prague, when the IBA council passed a resolution deploring the erosion of the rule of law around the world and recording the benefits of it (see [2005] Gazette, 29 September, 9).


The IBA's president, City solicitor Francis Neate, sent a copy of the resolution shortly afterwards to Prime Minister Tony Blair, inviting him to confirm the UK's adherence to it. However, Mr Neate said Downing Street had simply sent an acknowledgement and passed the letter to the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA). The DCA has yet to respond.


'[Given] the way that the game has been developing over the last six months, it's probably not that surprising,' Mr Neate reported to delegates at the IBA's first annual bar leaders conference recently.


He explained to the Gazette last week that he was referring to criticism of judges and the Human Rights Act. 'For a barrister, Mr Blair shows a staggering misunderstanding of the law,' he added.


Similar letters were sent to other heads of state but the response 'generally has been extraordinarily disappointing,' Mr Neate said, adding that President Bush had also failed to reply.


However, he said French President Jacques Chirac had sent an enthusiastic response while a number of other countries had also written back.


'One of the important points I am trying to get over in England is that countries like the US, the UK and many European countries are models on the rule of law which other counties look to,' the IBA president said. 'If you do not set an example, you cannot expect other countries to listen to your preaching.'


A DCA spokesman said it was pressing the Foreign Office for some information it needs before replying.