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Britain's Conservatives plan US-style bill of rights
 LONDON: Britain should replace the Human Rights Act with its first modern US-style bill of rights to help fight crime and terrorism, opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron said on Monday. The rights act must go, he believes, because it has created a "culture of rights without responsibilities". "It has hampered the fight against crime, it has caused some extra difficulties in the vital fight against terrorism," he told BBC radio. "It hasn't actually been particularly good at protecting our rights." The proposals would strike a "common sense balance" between civil liberties and protecting public safety." Britain's human rights laws incorporated the European Convention of Human Rights into British law in 2000. Critics say it has tipped the balance in favour of criminals. Cameron, who has overtaken Prime Minister Tony Blair in polls after losing the last election in May 2005, admitted it would be difficult to draw up a bill of rights. He will set up a panel of lawyers and constitutional experts to look at the issue. Under his proposals, Britain would remain a member of the European Convention on Human Rights and British citizens could still pursue cases at the European Court of Human Rights. Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, the government's top legal adviser, said Cameron's ideas were misconceived and dangerous. Posted by: Fred 2006-06-27 |
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