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| Human Rights Act: Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve rubbishes 'unworkable' Tory plans to scrap ECHR | Human Rights Act: Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve rubbishes 'unworkable' Tory plans to scrap ECHR |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The former Attorney General has laid waste to the Conservatives’ plan to scrap the Human Rights Act, calling their proposals “unworkable”. | The former Attorney General has laid waste to the Conservatives’ plan to scrap the Human Rights Act, calling their proposals “unworkable”. |
| Dominic Grieve, who worked as a barrister before becoming a Tory MP, said the European convention enshrined in British law was “producing decisions of great importance in improving human rights which are inevitably ignored” by the new plans. | Dominic Grieve, who worked as a barrister before becoming a Tory MP, said the European convention enshrined in British law was “producing decisions of great importance in improving human rights which are inevitably ignored” by the new plans. |
| In a shift to the right seen as an attempt to woo Ukip voters, the Prime Minister has spoken strongly in favour of a British “bill of rights”, claiming the country does not “require instruction from judges in Strasbourg”. | In a shift to the right seen as an attempt to woo Ukip voters, the Prime Minister has spoken strongly in favour of a British “bill of rights”, claiming the country does not “require instruction from judges in Strasbourg”. |
| The Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, has drawn up proposals including principles originally drawn up by British lawyers after the Second World War, to give ultimate power to the Supreme Court. | |
| “We can no longer tolerate this mission creep,” he said. “What we have effectively got is a legal blank cheque, where the [European] court can go where it chooses to go.” | “We can no longer tolerate this mission creep,” he said. “What we have effectively got is a legal blank cheque, where the [European] court can go where it chooses to go.” |
| But Mr Grieve said the paper produced contains a “number of howlers”, describing it as a “failure of ambition”. | But Mr Grieve said the paper produced contains a “number of howlers”, describing it as a “failure of ambition”. |
| Chris Grayling,the Justice Secretary, is backing a British 'bill of rights' “I also think they are unworkable and will damage the UK’s international reputation,” he told the Guardian. | Chris Grayling,the Justice Secretary, is backing a British 'bill of rights' “I also think they are unworkable and will damage the UK’s international reputation,” he told the Guardian. |
| “The suggestion that they can be negotiated with the Council of Europe so that the UK has its own space where it can [take what it wants] while everyone else complies is almost laughable.” | “The suggestion that they can be negotiated with the Council of Europe so that the UK has its own space where it can [take what it wants] while everyone else complies is almost laughable.” |
| Although Mr Grieve agreed with Conservative leaders that some judgements, including to give prisoners the vote, were wrong, he said the latest document “lacked any maturity”. | Although Mr Grieve agreed with Conservative leaders that some judgements, including to give prisoners the vote, were wrong, he said the latest document “lacked any maturity”. |
| He was sacked from the post he held for four years in July after angering right-wing Tories by repeatedly warning of the danger of withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). | He was sacked from the post he held for four years in July after angering right-wing Tories by repeatedly warning of the danger of withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). |
| In his speech pledging to scrap it, Mr Cameron citied examples including court battles to deport suspected terrorists and concerning the Afghanistan War to make his case. | In his speech pledging to scrap it, Mr Cameron citied examples including court battles to deport suspected terrorists and concerning the Afghanistan War to make his case. |
| The ECHR delayed the deportation of radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada, angering the Government He added: “With a Conservative government after the next election, this country will have a new British Bill of Rights to be passed in our Parliament, rooted in our values.” | The ECHR delayed the deportation of radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada, angering the Government He added: “With a Conservative government after the next election, this country will have a new British Bill of Rights to be passed in our Parliament, rooted in our values.” |
| Labour has spoken out against the plans, as well as human rights organisations including Liberty and Amnesty UK, which called them “nasty, spiteful and shameful”. | Labour has spoken out against the plans, as well as human rights organisations including Liberty and Amnesty UK, which called them “nasty, spiteful and shameful”. |
| Tim Hancock, campaigns director of Amnesty UK, added: “This is electioneering on the backs of Europe's most vulnerable. | Tim Hancock, campaigns director of Amnesty UK, added: “This is electioneering on the backs of Europe's most vulnerable. |
| “Under these plans human rights would be reserved for only those people the Government decides should get them. This is a blueprint for human rights you would expect from a country like Belarus. | “Under these plans human rights would be reserved for only those people the Government decides should get them. This is a blueprint for human rights you would expect from a country like Belarus. |
| “We should all be worried when politicians try to set themselves above the law.” | “We should all be worried when politicians try to set themselves above the law.” |
| Adam Wagner, a human rights barrister, said the plans are in "clear breach" of the UK's international legal obligations that it largely created. | Adam Wagner, a human rights barrister, said the plans are in "clear breach" of the UK's international legal obligations that it largely created. |
| "Limiting the application of human rights law to 'serious' cases and making them subject to 'civic responsibilities' is really a way to restrict rights to people the Government likes," he added. | "Limiting the application of human rights law to 'serious' cases and making them subject to 'civic responsibilities' is really a way to restrict rights to people the Government likes," he added. |
| "Rights will be rebalanced to fit with the ideological leanings of one section of the Tory party." | "Rights will be rebalanced to fit with the ideological leanings of one section of the Tory party." |
| Additional reporting by PA | Additional reporting by PA |