David Cameron on the Chindamo case as quoted in the Guardian:
The Conservative leader, David Cameron, called for the Human Rights Act, introduced into British law in 1998, to be repealed, saying the tribunal’s decision “flies in the face of common sense”.
“It is a shining example of what is going wrong in our country,” Mr Cameron told the BBC.
“He is someone who has been found guilty of murder and should be deported back to his country … What about the rights of Mrs Lawrence or the victim?”
Err… Dave?
The victim in the case, Phillip Lawrence, is dead and has been so since 1995, which rather makes your question about his rights somewhat moot.
Just thought I’d mention it.
With comments like that I can’t help but wonder why the Sun doesn’t just support Cameron and leave our party alone.
Not to mention that the HRA is the third level of defence, made no difference according to sources (including Lord Chancellor Jack Straw) to the decision.
Hilariously I have been accused by a Tory over on my blog of making this matter “party political” by referring to the party of government while Learco Chindamo was growing up and winning his stripes. Whereas Cameron is trying to nail the wrong piece of legislation – not one Edward Heath signed us up to then – as a Labour law, a bad law, a law to be repealled by Tories.
Meanwhile I’ve hit the spot with Newmania and got an extraordinary comment in return, accusing me of trying to destroy Iain Dale’s blog … er. by fairly civilly disagreeing with him.
I’m writing to Cameron, Spelman and Islington Conservatives to have the girl called on to cease and desist. Any rigorous investigations of Newmania’s sock puppeting career? On her relationship with the official Tory party? Any idea how her employer regards the extended, fluently cursing, and persistent day in day out commenting on blogs all day i.e. stealing?
Doesn’t Cameron usually purport to believe that stable family life is crucial for keeping young men away from crime?
The Human Rights Act has become such an all purpose whipping boy that I usually ignore any media or political mention of it at all. Chances are that it didn’t have much to do with anything.
It’s interesting at times like this to ask ‘What if’?
It may be news to Cameron and some less than lucid letterwriters to the Express and Star, but we would stay signed up to the Convention even if the Act were repealed. All that would happen is that were Convention rights not to be exercisable directly through UK courts, the applicant would still be able to go right to the Court of Human Rights- incidentally, not a part of the EU.
The result? Same outcome but slower, and with the UK Government liable for more costs, expenses and international opprobrium. Hence Call Me Dave’s ludicrous talk of a Bill of British Rights- which itself begs the question of how much input the Celtic legislatures would have into it.
Meanwhile- back to the Express and Star, where last night one sockpuppet wrote of wanting a ‘referendum on the death penalty’. Hmmmm. I know we need citizenship classes in schools; but with muppets like that seemingly able to write in more than crayon, don’t we need compulsory evening classes for adults?