It was reported yesterday that the Tories plan to strip people of their human rights and allow British judges to ignore rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), an essential court used for ensuring that the human rights of all people are being upheld.

Under their plans for a new bill which would replace the Human Rights Act, the Conservatives want to pick and choose who is entitled to human rights.

The Human Rights Act is essential in protecting the rights of the vulnerable and powerless. The Liberal Democrats in Government have refused to support the Conservatives’ plans to scrap the Human Rights Act and their latest plans underline how much they cannot be trusted to protect the human rights of individuals.

Their draft Bill of Rights would mean that illegal immigrants and criminals would be restricted to raising their right to family life in deportation cases.

Under the Conservatives’ plans, suspects and criminals would not be able to use their human right to family life to fight against deportation unless it was deemed an “exceptional” circumstance. In addition, the bill would also ensure that trade union membership in the police could be banned and that rulings allowing prisoners the right to vote could be overturned.

Liberal Democrats believe strongly in individual freedoms and protecting human rights, hence why the party has launched a campaign to say no to he Conservative’s plans to eradicate the human rights act.