Economic, social and cultural rights must be enshrined in UK law

While UK government representatives will this week ‘talk a big game on inequality’ at the World Economic Forum in Davos, it is failing to tackle human rights issues at home, says Jess McQuail. Photograph: Gian Ehrenzeller/EPA

This week UK government representatives will meet world and business leaders at Davos to talk a big game on inequality. Yet at the same time, a new report from more than 70 civil society organisations across England and Wales has found that our basic human rights at home are in crisis.

Over the last six months, the UK human rights organisation Just Fair has been accepting evidence from organisations on the front line of the cost-of-living crisis for a report to the United Nations on rights in the UK. The evidence is damning, and points to a government falling short in many areas and for too many people.