Skip to main content arrow-down arrow-tail-right arrow-triangle-right calendar camera compass download email eye facebook flag mail phone pin play send square-right tag twitter youtube badge message

The Abolition of the Death Penalty in the United Kingdom: How it Happened and Why It Still Matters

  • News
  • 9 Nov 2015

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act 1965, which suspended and effectively abolished the death penalty for murder in England, Scotland and Wales.

We are delighted to launch a monograph by Julian B. Knowles QC: The Abolition of the Death Penalty in the United Kingdom: How it Happened and Why it Matters. Drawing on his own extensive advocacy experience in individual death row cases, Knowles traces the history of capital punishment in the UK, and in particular, the sequence of events that led to its abolition and analyses the impact that domestic and international law would have on any attempt to reintroduce it.

Many lessons can be learnt from the United Kingdom’s experience. The movement to abolition was brought about by a combination of factors, including Parliamentary campaigning; changing attitudes towards social and penal affairs; and significantly, public disquiet over three controversial executions in the 1950s and a shocking series of miscarriages of justice cases that came to light in subsequent years.

What will lead to abolition of the death penalty in the remaining retentionist states is not predictable. Abolition in the UK was ultimately achieved through the political process –Parliament and the individual consciences of MPs taking a political and moral lead. In light of contemporary human rights standards, political leaders in retentionist states should consider moving away from the death penalty. Critically, experience has demonstrated that miscarriages of justice occur in every system,however sophisticated, carrying the risk that innocent people will be executed. This alone is one reason why many countries, including the UK, have abolished the death penalty.

Latest news

Attorney to Government: Make up your mind about the death penalty
Read More
Longest serving death row prisoner in T&T released by High Court
Read More
Death row inmate released after resentencing - FREED AFTER 30 YEARS
Read More
Longest serving death row prisoner in T&T released by High Court
Read More
Longest serving death row prisoner in Trinidad & Tobago released by High Court
Read More
UK Pro bono week – interviews with DPP’s network
Read More
Pressure mounts for Kenya to abolish death penalty
Read More
2023: 21st World Day Against the Death Penalty
Read More
“Serious breach of procedural fairness” - excessive manslaughter sentence quashed in The Bahamas
Read More
Ghana Web: Alban Bagbin praised for repeal of death penalty
Read More
IBAHRI commends abolition of the death penalty - Ghana
Read More
CLA Statement: Commending the Zambian and Ghanaian Governments for Abolishing the Death Penalty
Read More
The Week: Ghana abolishes the death penalty
Read More
The Guardian: Ghana abolishes death penalty, with expected reprieve for 176 condemned prisoners
Read More
DPP INTERVIEW: Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Ghanaian MP whose private member’s Bills have abolished the death penalty in Ghana
Read More
DPP interview with TRT - "Why are executions on the rise in a number of countries?"
Read More
Jurist: Ghana Parliament votes to end death penalty
Read More
Ghanaian Parliament votes to abolish the death penalty
Read More
The Washington Post: Ghana votes to remove the death penalty, calling it sign of ‘inhumane’ society
Read More
NGO welcomes abolition of the Death Penalty in Ghana
Read More

Stay up-to-date with our work