Progress are supporting Liz Kendal for Leader but they have published my blog on the contest even though I am actively supporting Andy Burnham: This blog is about certain Leadership qualities prog.rs/7cn
On June 15th at Runnymede, visitors from all over the world celebrated the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta which many take as the start of the modern human rights movement: It was a staid affair with local Councillors and a few cautious speeches, unlike 800 years ago when the Barons and a reluctant King John negotiated with their hands on the hilts of their swords. As soon as he was able, King John sought to roll back the ‘rights’ and impose his autocratic power yet again.
Stopping the rolling back of Human Rights in contemporary Britain is a challenge that we face again now as the new Government takes advantage of their slim mandate. They are starting with anti-strike legislation and the snoopers charter while trying to build support to scrap the Human Rights Act. I suspect that the scrapping of the Human Rights Act is on the agenda partly because the case to deport Abu Qatada took a long time thereby infuriating Mrs May. However that is not a good enough reason to remove that protection from the rest of us.. It was an important case displaying anti torture principles that will protect British people both at home and abroad when they fall foul of local laws. There will always be powers that want to roll back Human Rights but think carefully before you let it happen: They are there to protect us and our children and they allow us to have free speech and to get involved in activity such as campaigning against domestic violence, union blacklisting by employers, climate change, organising as a trade union or 38 degrees. The snoopers charter will be far more use in pursuing legitimate political activists than catching terrorists; consider why the Tories want Politicians in charge of authorising surveillance orders instead of Judges? Remember, when our hard won freedoms have been gradually chiselled away we won’t be able to send a bunch of Barons to get them back and make things right again. |
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April 2019
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