politics for the 99%

Published on The Telegraph.co.uk, by Matthew Scott, July 28, 2015: His plan for a British Bill of Rights will do nothing to reclaim our sovereignty – while his EU renegotiation ignores the real problem.

One thing that unites the vast majority of Conservative MPs is surely the belief that Parliament should be sovereign and the British Supreme Court should be supreme.  

They are perhaps quite pleased that the Prime Minister has instructed Michael Gove to make preparations for repealing the Human Rights Act and replacing it with a British Bill of Rights.

In fact, the Government’s plan will, if it succeeds, effectively entrench the precise opposite of what these MPs actually want.

the supremacy of our courts, the HRA is entirely beside the point. It requires the Supreme Court only to “take account” of Strasbourg decisions, not to follow them; and it gives courts, whether British or European, no power to strike down Acts of Parliament. Under the Human Rights Act the Supreme Court is supreme and Parliament is sovereign.

Video with David Cameron, 1.32 min, … //

… It may be that there is much to be said for EU law in general and for the Charter in particular. But given their potentially huge importance, we should at least be as honest and clear as possible about their legal effects. At present that clarity, and possibly that honesty, is lacking.

Renegotiating our relationship with the EU was a key Conservative election promise. Securing a better deal for Britain was supposed to justify David Cameron’s preference for campaigning against exit in the forthcoming referendum. You might therefore hope that EU law would be part of his deal. Yet you will search his manifesto in vain for any mention of constitutional affairs. Amidst vague ambitions such as “turbo-charging free trade” (whatever that means) or saying “no to a constant flow of power to Brussels” (would an intermittent flow of power be acceptable?), only one thing is clear: the Government does not intend to address the principle that gives EU law supremacy over both our Supreme Court and our Parliament.

(full text).

Related HR Links:

• Amnesty International says prostitution is a human right – but it’s wrong, on The Guardian, by Jessica Neuwirth, July 28, 2015;
• Human rights groups criticize both 2022 Winter Olympic bids, on The Salt Lake Tribune, by Dennis Passa, July 25, 2015: Watchdog groups criticized the human rights records of China and Kazakhstan on Thursday, just over a week before the IOC decides on whether to award the 2022 Winter Olympics to Beijing or Almaty;
• Another ‘Abu Qatada’ saga – Theresa May thwarted as judge bails convicted extremist in new deportation hearing, on The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, by Victoria Parsons, July 24, 2015; (see also: Counter-terrorism – Supreme Court backs Theresa May decision to strip suspected Al Qaeda terrorist of UK citizenship, by Victoria Parsons, March 25, 2015);
• The Murder of Journalist Oles Buzina in Ukraine, on Counterpunch, by ROGER ANNIS, June 23, 2015;

Human Rights by the US police force:

• Sandra Bland Laid to Rest, First Black Judge in Waller County Demands Sheriff Resign over Her Death, 20 min, on Democracy Now, by Amy Goodman, July 27, 2015;
• on Democracy Now, by Amy Goodman, July 24, 2015: I Don’t Believe Sandy Committed Suicide: #BlackLivesMatter Co-Founders Speak Out on Sandra Bland, 21 min; Part 2: #BlackLivesMatter Founders on Immigration & the Fight for Safety Beyond Policing, 23.29 min;
• ;
• Florida cop arrested for refusing to remove Guy Fawkes SPEAKS OUT, 6.07 min, uploaded by WeAreChange, Dec 6, 2013 … in this video Red Pill Philosophy and WeAreChange get an exclusive interview with a Florida police officer who was recently arrested for refusing to take off his Guy Fawkes mask during a protest. Ericson Harrell who’s a 15 year veteran of the florida PD and a military veteran tells us why decided to protest and stand up for his rights by not taking off the V for Vendetta mask …;
• GOOD Cop v BAD COP #4 – University of Central Florida Police officer breaks woman’s window, 3.56 min, Uploaded by NOLATAC, Sept 20, 2013;

Human Rights by the United Arab Emirates’ Anti-Hate Speech Law:

• Anti-discrimination law’s full scope yet to be seen, The National.ae, by Naser Al Remeithi, July 21, 2015;
• Tolerant or repressive? UAE passes tough anti-discrimination law, on Al Arabi.co.uk, by Paul McLoughlin, July 20, 2015:
• on Russia Today RT: The United Arab Emirates have adopted a new law, which criminalizes all forms of discrimination, protects religion and religious institutions, bans vandalism, insults to God, prophets and the like. It also bars epithets such as “infidel” or “unbeliever …;
• on Christian Post; … related find: …
• on GulfNews;
• on Emirates247;
• on Arabian Business;
• on en.wikipedia: Blasphemy law in the United Arab Emirates: /The federation; /The school system; /The courts; /Human rights; /See also; /External links;

Other Links:

L’allocation universelle est-elle l’avenir de la sécurité sociale? dans Le Soir.fr, par Corentin Di Prima, le 29 juillet 2015: La Finlande y pense séroieusement. Une bonne idée?

Review of Give a Man a Fish, reflections on the New Politics of Distribution, on Basic Income Earth Network BIEN, by James Ferguson, July 29, 2015;

South Africa: Basic medical aid could soon be within reach of the poor, on BDlive.za, by TAMAR KAHN, July 29, 2015;

The Balance of Power in the Middle East Just Changed, U.S.-Iranian Relations Emerge from a 30-Year Cold War, on naked capitalism, by Yves Smith, July 29, 2015;

US: How Big Corporations Are Starving Public Schools of Billions of Dollars, on naked capitalism, by Yves Smith, July 29, 2015: How big corporate tax avoidance hurts local schools;

Canada: Support for Universal Human Rights Is an Absolute, on Dissident Voice, by Kim Petersen, July 28, 2015;

Scientists create eye drop that dissolves cataracts with naturally occurring chemical, on Russia Today RT, July 28, 2015;

France: Pour l’imposition de tous les revenus au fil de l’eau, dans Les Echos.fr, par JEAN-YVES MERCIER, le 27 juillet 2015;

US: The Laundry Project helps low-income families with the most basic need in Tampa Bay, on abc Action News, by Christie Post, July 27, 2015;

US: Social Security has evolved over 80 years, on Marville Daily Forum, by DANNY ZIMMERMAN, July 27, 2015;

Canada: À l’orée d’un monde sans travail? dans ici radio Canada, le 25 juillet 2015;

New Zealand: We need a new version of capitalism for the jobless future, on New Zealand Herald.co.nz, by Vivek Wadhwa, July 25, 2015;

UK: Is the end nigh for National Insurance? on Herald Scotland, July 25, 2015;

Griechenlandkrise – Dirk Müller zu den neusten Entwicklungen, 8.06 min, von antikriegTV2 am 19. Juli 2015 hochgeladen … Webseite: AntikriegTV2;

Dirk Müller und Ernst Prost sprechen Klartext, 30.21 min, von DIE LINKE Bruchsal am 13. Juli 2015 hochgeladen;

PLUTO FLYBY: 1): Pluto in a Minute, Meet New Horizons’ Science Payload, 1.32 min, uploaded by NASA New Horizons, July 12, 2015 … and 10 more videos in autoplay; 2): The real PlutoPhiles – Alan Stern, 4.00 min, uploaded by NASA New Horizons, July 7, 2015 … and 9 more in autoplay;

Europe: The European Debt Crisis Visualized, 12.33 min, uploaded by Bloomberg Businsess, Feb 11, 2014;

Switzerland: Rigolo Wings In My Heart Live Teaser, 3.57 min, uploaded by RIGOLO Swiss Nouveau Cirque, Nov 17, 2014.