Nick Clegg has opened up a new rift in the Coalition by pledging to resist Conservative attempts to change human rights laws in the wake of this month’s riots.
By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent, Daily Telegraph, 7:00AM BST 26 Aug 2011
The Deputy Prime Minister said it is a "myth" that Britain’s human rights laws are harmful and insisted that they must not be abandoned.
Mr Clegg’s argument, set out in a newspaper article, is at odds with David Cameron’s views.
In the wake of the disturbances in London and other English cities earlier this month, the Prime Minister signalled a fresh move to challenge the Human Rights Act, declaring that he would not be restrained by "phoney human rights" concerns.
The legislation, which enacts the European Charter on Human Rights, is blamed by many Conservatives for problems in the criminal justice system. Critics say that over-zealous application of the law leads the police and other authorities to put too much emphasis on the rights of criminals and suspects, and not enough on the needs of victims.
Without naming Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg criticised people who have allowed "a myth to take root that human rights are a foreign invention, unwanted here, a charter for greedy lawyers and meddlesome bureaucrats."
He added: "This myth panders to a view that no rights, not even the most basic, come without responsibilities; that criminals ought to forfeit their very humanity the moment they step out of line; and that the punishment of lawbreakers ought not to be restrained by due process."
This is not Mr Clegg’s first dispute with Mr Cameron over human rights laws.
The Deputy Prime Minister has an ongoing disagreement with his Conservative colleagues over the issue of votes for prisoners.
After a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights – which oversees the charter – Britain is obliged to let prisoners vote in general elections.
A majority of MPs have opposed that change, and Mr Cameron has said he will listen to the Commons.
However, Mr Clegg – supported by Kenneth Clarke, the Conservative Justice Secretary – is insisting that Britain has no choice but to accept the court judgement and allow at least some prisoners to vote.
Mr Clegg accepted that some aspects of the court must be changed, but insisted that there is no question of the UK pulling out of the convention.
Some Conservatives want the UK to pull out of the convention, but Mr Clegg said that must not happen: "As we continue to promote human rights abroad, we must ensure we work to uphold them here at home. We have a record we should be proud of and never abandon."
The Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights have been "instrumental" to protecting British civil liberties, he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment