The public must not sleep walk into a loss of their fundamental rights, says MP

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 14th May 2006

A senior MP came to the defence of the Human Rights Act today and urged the British people not be duped into a loss of their rights at the expense of Government power following to criticism made of human rights act by Government ministers.

Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat member of the Joint Select Committee on Human rights said:

"The British people ought to wake up to the fact that any weakening of human rights laws means less protection for them, more power for Government and will do nothing to improve public safety"

"The agenda of Government ministers and leading Tories is clear - they have never liked the loss of authority to control people that they had when citizens had to fight all their way to European Court of Human Rights to fight unfair discrimination, or abuse of power by a public authority - and they want that power back by weakening our rights and neutering the judiciary. We must not let that happen."

"The idea that there is a clear balance between public safety and human rights is a myth. It is puerile politics to blame a single rape or murder on the human rights act. The Government is busy fighting the European Courts in support of the Dutch Government in case which would allow Governments to turn a blind eye to the torture of foreigners. Our own rights to humane treatment here and abroad depend on all Government's respecting fundamental human rights and it is a disgrace that our own Government is undermining them."

"The Prime ministers attack of judges and the law is either empty posturing or extremely sinister. Neither option serves justice or our freedoms."