Lord Lester the tethered 'Goat' savages PM on human rights record
By Benedict Brogan
Last updated at 12:02 PM on 12th December 2008
Gordon Brown's record on human rights was condemned as 'dismal and
deeply disappointing' yesterday by one of his advisers.
Lib Dem peer Lord Lester hit out after quitting as one of the 'goats' -
'Government of all the talents' - appointed by the Prime Minister last
year.
He resigned in protest over what he said was Mr Brown's failure to
deliver constitutional reform.
But it emerged last night that he really walked out because he objected
to moves being planned by ministers to tighten up the Human Rights Act.
Lord Lester spoke out after Justice Secretary Jack Straw revealed that
he was ready to amend the legislation to reflect not just rights, but
responsibilities.
A Government green paper due in January is likely to set out plans to
introduce a set of responsibilities to go alongside the rights defined
by the 1998 Human Rights Act.
They could include a duty of loyalty to the country and a responsibility
to obey the law.
In an interview in the Daily Mail on Monday, Mr Straw accepted that the
Act was increasingly seen by the public as a 'villains' charter' that
favoured criminals and terrorist suspects.
He criticised 'nervous' judges who refused to deport terrorist suspects,
and said he was 'frustrated' by the way some judges interpreted the Act.
Lord Lester threw his weight behind human rights activists who were left
outraged by what they saw as a deliberate attempt by Mr Straw to water
down the protections offered by the Act.
He said: 'There is no prospect at all that the Government are going to
amend the Human Rights Act.
'The Government has a deeply disappointing record in giving effect to
the values underpinning the Act in its policies and practices.'
Lord Lester, who quit last month, said he felt like a 'Government-
tethered goat' during his 15-month tenure as Mr Brown's adviser.
He singled out Mr Straw, accusing him of 'undermining' the Human Rights
Act, which was passed by the Government in 1998 and came into force in
2000.
'That is a lamentable departure from his predecessors as lord
chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg and Lord Falconer, who staunchly
defended the Human Rights Act,' he told the Guardian.
As a distinguished human rights lawyer, Lord Lester, 72, was one of the
founding fathers of the Act and an unquestioned champion of the equality
doctrines dear to New Labour. His decision to turn against the
Government will be seen as a severe blow to its credibility with the
Left.
A Downing Street spokesman said: 'It was this Government that introduced
the Human Rights Act. We also set up the Equality and Human Rights
Commission, which has strong enforcement powers relating to equality and
human rights.
'What Jack Straw was saying was that we need to build on the benefits of
the Human Rights Act and not detract from them by articulatingclearly
the responsibilities that go with the rights.'
But Tory Justice spokesman Nick Herbert said: 'First Jack Straw
introduces this legislation, then he says it's a villain's charter, then
Gordon Brown flatly contradicts him, saying it's a shield and safeguard,
then their own adviser quits over their 'dismal' record.
'The Government is in total disarray over their own rights agenda. The
truth is that Straw was shamelessly grabbing a cheap headline.
'Far from replacing the Human Rights Act, as Conservatives propose, the
Government plan to pile new rights upon it. Labour ministers have no
real understanding of why their rights-based approach is so deeply
unpopular and damaging - and they haven't the slightest intention of
abandoning it.'
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Saturday, 13 December 2008
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