Is it true that the government, public bodies, and courts are required to follow the principles of the European Convention?

Okay, here's an explanation of why the statement about the European Convention is true. The key here is understanding the difference between the European Union and the Council of Europe. The UK left the European Union, but it remains a member of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe created the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The ECHR is a treaty that protects the human rights of people in countries that belong to the Council of Europe. The UK was one of the original countries to sign the ECHR in 1950. To make sure these rights are protected in the UK, the government passed the Human Rights Act in 1998. This Act means that public bodies, including the government and the courts, must follow the principles of the ECHR. So, even though the UK is no longer in the EU, the European Convention on Human Rights still has a big impact on UK law. It's a common mistake to think leaving the EU means leaving *all* European agreements, but the ECHR is separate.