-:Undertaker:-
05-10-2016, 06:42 PM
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/03/plan-uk-military-opt-out-european-convention-human-rights
Plan for UK military to opt out of European convention on human rights
PM and defence secretary will announce idea for future conflicts to curb an ‘industry of vexatious claims’ against soldiers
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02356/British-Army_2356117b.jpg
Controversial plans for the military to opt out from the European convention on human rights (ECHR) during future conflicts will be introduced by ministers, to see off what the prime minister described as an “industry of vexatious claims” against soldiers.
The long-mooted idea will be announced on Tuesday at the Conservative party conference by Theresa May and the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, although it was immediately criticised by human rights groups who said it was based on a false narrative of spurious lawsuits.
May said the change would “put an end to the industry of vexatious claims that has pursued those who served in previous conflicts”. It would be implemented by introducing a “presumption to derogate” from the ECHR in warfare.
Fallon, in comments released ahead of his conference speech, said: “Our legal system has been abused to level false charges against our troops on an industrial scale.”
He added: “It has caused significant distress to people who risked their lives to protect us, it has cost the taxpayer millions and there is a real risk it will stop our armed forces doing their job.”
The military and some right-leaning thinktanks have long pushed for the move, arguing that a series of court cases focused on the actions of UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has cost the Ministry of Defence (MoD) huge sums.
The government says the litigation has cost the MoD more than £100m since 2004. Ministers say this has happened because the jurisdiction of the ECHR has been extended to conflict zones, in part due to the efforts of a handful of law firms.
Derogating from the ECHR in times of war or public emergency is permitted under the rules of the Council of Europe, which oversees the Strasbourg-based institution.
Certain key convention rights – such as the prohibition against torture – nonetheless remain in place even if the secretary general of the Council of Europe has been informed in advance of a temporary derogation.
Good.
I said that the only battle left in terms of sovereignty was the battle to remove us from the European Court of Human Rights which is not an EU court but which is a foreign court nevertheless. It's known PM May wants out of the ECHR, but this seems to have been put on ice for the moment given the process of withdrawal from the European Union.
I guess you could say this is a first step to ECHR withdrawal - hopefully we'll see such a commitment put in the next Conservative manifesto in 2020. Full sovereignty restored and an end to the racket of left wing human rights lawyers.
Thoughts?
Plan for UK military to opt out of European convention on human rights
PM and defence secretary will announce idea for future conflicts to curb an ‘industry of vexatious claims’ against soldiers
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02356/British-Army_2356117b.jpg
Controversial plans for the military to opt out from the European convention on human rights (ECHR) during future conflicts will be introduced by ministers, to see off what the prime minister described as an “industry of vexatious claims” against soldiers.
The long-mooted idea will be announced on Tuesday at the Conservative party conference by Theresa May and the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, although it was immediately criticised by human rights groups who said it was based on a false narrative of spurious lawsuits.
May said the change would “put an end to the industry of vexatious claims that has pursued those who served in previous conflicts”. It would be implemented by introducing a “presumption to derogate” from the ECHR in warfare.
Fallon, in comments released ahead of his conference speech, said: “Our legal system has been abused to level false charges against our troops on an industrial scale.”
He added: “It has caused significant distress to people who risked their lives to protect us, it has cost the taxpayer millions and there is a real risk it will stop our armed forces doing their job.”
The military and some right-leaning thinktanks have long pushed for the move, arguing that a series of court cases focused on the actions of UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has cost the Ministry of Defence (MoD) huge sums.
The government says the litigation has cost the MoD more than £100m since 2004. Ministers say this has happened because the jurisdiction of the ECHR has been extended to conflict zones, in part due to the efforts of a handful of law firms.
Derogating from the ECHR in times of war or public emergency is permitted under the rules of the Council of Europe, which oversees the Strasbourg-based institution.
Certain key convention rights – such as the prohibition against torture – nonetheless remain in place even if the secretary general of the Council of Europe has been informed in advance of a temporary derogation.
Good.
I said that the only battle left in terms of sovereignty was the battle to remove us from the European Court of Human Rights which is not an EU court but which is a foreign court nevertheless. It's known PM May wants out of the ECHR, but this seems to have been put on ice for the moment given the process of withdrawal from the European Union.
I guess you could say this is a first step to ECHR withdrawal - hopefully we'll see such a commitment put in the next Conservative manifesto in 2020. Full sovereignty restored and an end to the racket of left wing human rights lawyers.
Thoughts?