An effort by president Francis Neate to have the International Bar Association (IBA) speak out against attacks on the rule of law around the world has been put on hold over fears that the wording of a resolution is too political.

At the IBA's mid-year meeting in Lisbon last week, Mr Neate - the first English solicitor to hold the post in 30 years - put forward the resolution deploring the global diminution of the rule of law, telling the Gazette that 'it's high time the IBA got publicly committed on these issues'.


Complaints about the wording - and in particular a paragraph highlighting some examples of attacks on the rule of law - led to him withdrawing the resolution from the IBA council meeting so that it could be redrafted. Mr Neate said that 'we do not want to be accused of trespassing into politics'.


However, a straw poll of members - including the Law Society and Bar Council - found overwhelming support for the motion in principle. The IBA council meets behind closed doors.


The Gazette was told by insiders that the American Bar Association (ABA) led the complaints, with some suspecting that references to the inhumane treatment of prisoners and detention without trial had caused particular problems given the background of the Iraq war.


Speaking to the Gazette ahead of the council meeting, ABA president Robert Grey would not be drawn, saying only there were ongoing discussions about drafting and that 'no one disagrees with the concept'.