Human Rights Act: Tory incompetence

In moving swiftly to fulfill their manifesto promise to deny legal redress of abuse of human rights under the European Convention to ordinary people, David Cameron and Theresa May have overlooked the way that the Human Rights Act 1998 is intertwined with other legislation. In particular, the Scottish and Welsh constitutions are seriously affected as Wales Online reports.

Kirsty Williams has responded swiftly:

“The new Conservative Government is trying to deprive Welsh people of their human rights.

“As things stand, elderly people who are in conflict with a local authority over the care they receive can use this legislation to fight their case.

“If the Conservatives got away with taking away these rights, we would be worse off.

“But because the Human Rights Act is embedded in the Government of Wales Act 2006, it is not so easy for them.

“Under the Sewel Convention, the UK Government should ask the Assembly’s permission to remove the Human Rights Act from the Government of Wales Act.

“I’m sure the majority of AMs would not agree to that.”

In addition, more liberal members of the Conservative Party (yes, there still are some, though my Labour friends are difficult to convince) are threatening a revolt over the abolition, according to the Indy.