Lord Wallace vows to defend Human Rights Act

Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Liberal Democrats Lords leader, has warned that he will oppose any attempt to weaken the Human Rights Act and added that he could not comprehend why ministers would want to abolish it.

The former Advocate General for Scotland said: “I would rather live in a country where there is such a human rights check over decisions and actions of ministers and the executive than in a country where ministers and the executive can ride roughshod over human rights.”

He added that recent events had thrown into sharp focus the “challenge of balancing liberty and security in an age when terrorism stalks the globe” but stressed that the ability to challenge the government was “a core part of our liberty and democracy” and must be upheld.

“And yet the government has made clear their intention to do away with the Human Rights Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights.”

He questioned which rights currently enjoyed by people would be “stripped out” under the proposed change, saying: Surely it can’t be protection of freedom of speech, or the right to a fair trial, or the right of religion, or the right to a private life.”