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Human rights under threat
• IT was ironic to read MP Emily Thornberry described as a human rights lawyer (Free chef, MP urges Bush, April 27).
As a Labour MP, she is proud to support the government which has given tacit support for “extraordinary rendition”, allowing US torture flights to use UK air bases.
It’s not just abroad but here at home that the rights we take for granted are under threat. The right to a fair trial has been undermined. Legal aid cuts threaten to stop ordinary citizens from getting fair representation. Meanwhile, the government is wasting £97,000 a day on the unpopular ID card scheme.
It has already changed the law to ban demonstrations outside Parliament, to restrict free speech, and to reduce Parliament’s power to scrutinise government. And just this week, backbench MPs are fighting restrictions on freedom of information.
These are not airy-fairy issues. The government should serve the people, not the other way round. Ms Thornberry has not voted against a single one of these measures. Islington deserves better.
BRIDGET FOX
Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate, Islington South and Finsbury |
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