Celebrity voices unite against UK plans to weaken torture protections
A letter signed by 21 high-profile figures, including actors Stephen Fry and Joanna Lumley, has urged the UK government to rethink its plans to water down human rights law. The move comes ahead of a crucial European summit on Wednesday, where deputy prime minister David Lammy is expected to argue for changes to the European convention on human rights (ECHR) that could limit the scope of protections against torture and "inhuman or degrading treatment".
Opponents of the plans warn that such a change would be an affront to universal protections and pose a threat to global security. Signatories include novelist Julian Barnes, comedian Aisling Bea, and former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, as well as Labour peers and human rights campaigners.
The letter argues that Britain's legacy is built on its commitment to human rights, which have saved lives, delivered justice, and demonstrated the country's leadership by principle. Weakening these protections would undermine this legacy and put vulnerable people at risk.
Critics also warn that such a change could prompt other authoritarian countries to take more drastic action, as it would set a precedent for states to disregard cardinal principles of human rights and the rule of law.
In contrast, government spokespersons argue that pulling out of the ECHR would be self-defeating, but they are open to reforming how these treaties are implemented. This includes addressing modern challenges like mass migration.
As the UK prepares to engage with international partners on this critical issue, it remains to be seen whether the government will heed the warnings from its own citizens and those who have stood up for human rights.
A letter signed by 21 high-profile figures, including actors Stephen Fry and Joanna Lumley, has urged the UK government to rethink its plans to water down human rights law. The move comes ahead of a crucial European summit on Wednesday, where deputy prime minister David Lammy is expected to argue for changes to the European convention on human rights (ECHR) that could limit the scope of protections against torture and "inhuman or degrading treatment".
Opponents of the plans warn that such a change would be an affront to universal protections and pose a threat to global security. Signatories include novelist Julian Barnes, comedian Aisling Bea, and former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, as well as Labour peers and human rights campaigners.
The letter argues that Britain's legacy is built on its commitment to human rights, which have saved lives, delivered justice, and demonstrated the country's leadership by principle. Weakening these protections would undermine this legacy and put vulnerable people at risk.
Critics also warn that such a change could prompt other authoritarian countries to take more drastic action, as it would set a precedent for states to disregard cardinal principles of human rights and the rule of law.
In contrast, government spokespersons argue that pulling out of the ECHR would be self-defeating, but they are open to reforming how these treaties are implemented. This includes addressing modern challenges like mass migration.
As the UK prepares to engage with international partners on this critical issue, it remains to be seen whether the government will heed the warnings from its own citizens and those who have stood up for human rights.
I mean, come on! These high-profile people are uniting against a move that's basically just gonna make our country a total joke on the international stage? "Oh, let's just water down our human rights laws so we can be more 'flexible' with torture?" 
Like, what's next? "Let's trade in our values for a quick sale at the market stall!" I'm all for reforming our systems and addressing modern challenges, but not by sacrificing our principles and putting vulnerable people at risk. We need to stand strong on human rights, not roll over like a puppy in heat because some politician thinks it'll be "self-defeating". 
. Our country's got a rep to uphold! And what's next, are we just gonna let other countries walk all over us? That's not the kind of leadership I want to see.
. Maybe there's room for compromise and finding solutions that work for everyone.
It's not that hard!
I mean, I get that there might be some issues with how these laws are implemented, but weakening them completely is just, like, no. The thought of vulnerable people getting hurt because of this is just too much 
. And don't even get me started on the precedent it could set for other countries to disregard human rights 
. I'm seriously hoping that David Lammy and his team will listen to all these strong voices and reconsider their plans 
. We need to stand up for what's right here, folks! 
Can't these celebs just keep their opinions to themselves already? I mean, I'm sure Stephen Fry's face is adorable, but does that make him an expert on torture laws? 
. Give me a break.
like, we're trying to be a beacon of hope for humanity and all, but what's the point if we're still got our own issues to sort out? 
at the same time, i get why they wanna reform some stuff - mass migration is a big deal, and we need to find solutions. 
what do i know, eh? 
. Like, what's next? They're going to start torturing people or something? I mean, come on! We need strong human rights protections in place to protect us all from abuse of power.
. If we start weakening these protections, it's going to make other countries think we can get away with anything.
.
.
. And what's with the government spokespersons saying they're open to reforming how these treaties are implemented? That sounds like just a way of placating people without actually making any real changes 
.
. I'm scared that we're gonna start seeing more and more cases of abuse and neglect because no one will be held accountable 
. If they're gonna let this go through, it'll be a pretty big slap in the face to all the people who've suffered because of torture. And what's next? weakening other rights too? I don't think that's how you build global security, you know?