The Conservative Party and the ECHR

A very interesting article thatbags.

He suggests that those who believe the UK legal process is always faultless and should therefore be seen as sacrosanct, should perhaps reflect on some of the cases that the ECHR has heard.

I had forgotten about the two cases he mentioned: in 1972 Anthony Tryer lodged a complaint that at the age of 15, in the Isle of Man, he was held down by police officers and birched in a police station. In 1978 a complaint was brought about the continuing criminalisation - in Northern Ireland - of homosexuality between consenting adults. The judgments made in favour of both these complainants and the changes in law and practice that followed, would I feel be seen by most people as an improvement.

I also think that by withdrawing from the ECHR we would send out the wrong message, both in Europe and worldwide. We know there are countries where, for example, homosexuals are criminalised and persecuted and often live in fear for their lives. How can we have any voice at all on such human rights abuses if we are seen to have back peddled on our own commitment to human rights?

I find it interesting that Chris Grayling does not get a mention, considering he is the one who will rewrite the human rights law, despite not being a lawyer.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/10/conservatives-lay-out-plans-override-european-human-rights-rulings

I think the New Statesman agrees with Paul Johnson.

Any chance that you can paraphrase that document please?