Reith Lectures
The current series with Jonathan Sumption, is a breath of fresh air amidst all the crass nonsense that is heard from populist politicians and the media. The first two parts at least.
England has long had case-law, and that judges are interpreting and expanding human rights today is to be expected. This institution is excellent for altruist-democracy only in so far as judges have integrity and sympathy with that ethos. These rights are the product of a particular class or category of society, together with unmentioned duties that arise out of them. Rights do not exist in another realm of reality waiting to be plucked and used by human society. Altruist democracy depends entirely on possessing the appropriate institutions with the appropriate ethos. He put referenda in their place, implicitly as a vehicle for opinion, and not for decision.