Obsolete

THE Sun today launches a proud campaign to put an end to the human rights madness that is horrifying the country.

We applaud David Cameron for pledging that the Tories would tear up crazy human rights laws, and we urge Tony Blair to get on and do it while he remains in power.

The whole concept of “human rights” in Britain has become a travesty under which the interests of killers, rapists and paedophiles are placed above those of their victims.

Law abiding citizens must walk in fear while “human rights” give their assailants the freedom of the streets.

Convicted thugs and murderers are set free too soon after derisory sentences.

Yet what is prison for, but to keep those who wish us harm locked away?

It is absurd for judges to shelter Afghan terrorists who hijack an aircraft at gunpoint.

It is scandalous that a dangerous rapist is freed from prison to kill because his human rights had been infringed.

But it is also ridiculous for Tony Blair to attack these decisions as an “abuse of common sense”.

Stupid as the rulings may be, judges are simply doing what they are told.



It was New Labour that enshrined the EU Human Rights Convention into British law — against advice.

It was Mr Blair — urged on by his human rights lawyer wife — who refused calls for existing laws of the land to take precedence.

Now Mr Blair is paying the price.

Voters are reacting to hideous crimes committed by thugs who should be behind bars.

And they are shocked by news that hundreds of criminals are on the loose instead of being deported as promised.

It is a tragic day when “rights” has become a dirty word.

But Mr Blair has the chance to put things right — not just for the country but also for his reputation.

He can reverse Labour’s mistake of 1998 and dismantle the Human Rights Act, putting Britain’s courts back in charge of British interests.

Along with his public services reform agenda, this would be a solid and worthwhile legacy before he leaves Downing Street.

The Sun will continue to expose human rights madness wherever we see it.

But what we want to see most of all is our Prime Minister taking the action all Britain is crying out for.

But Mr Bridges said the failures in the Rice case had been exacerbated by two instances where parole and probation staff had allowed human rights considerations to undermine the importance of public protection. He particularly criticised the presence of a barrister pressing for the prisoner's release at the parole board hearing and said that staff "really have to be on top of a case" to get the balance right: "We are not saying it cannot be done right, but from our review I have to tell you that people clearly find it very difficult to do it right."

"They cannot work. They cannot study. They cannot take any steps to improve their lives ... Instead, they are forced to remain on asylum support, through no fault of their own adding fuel to anti-asylum tabloid comments."

Peres, speaking ahead of UN Security Council deliberations on possible sanctions on Iran, cautioned Monday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, should bear in mind that his own country could also be destroyed.

"They want to wipe out Israel... Now when it comes to destruction, Iran too can be destroyed [but] I don't suggest to say an eye for an eye," Peres told Reuters.

"Israel would defend itself under any condition but we don't look upon it as an Iranian-Israeli conflict exclusively... [Iran] is basically a danger to the world, not just to us," he said.

You say people can only have blank placards outside Parliament and can't protest. Go and look at the placards of those camped outside Parliament - they are most certainly not blank and usually contain words not entirely favourable to your correspondent.

Peace activist Brian Haw may have to end his five-year vigil outside Parliament as the government has won an appeal against an earlier legal ruling.

Last July, Mr Haw, 56, from Worcestershire, won a High Court action against a new law threatening his round-the-clock protest.

But three Court of Appeal judges have now overturned that decision.

Previously in the High Court, lawyers for Mr Haw argued that his demonstration had begun four years earlier and therefore he did not have to apply for authorisation.

The government said Mr Haw posed a potential security risk and described his argument as absurd, but judges ruled by a 2-1 majority in Mr Haw's favour.

But on Monday, the Master of the Rolls, Sir Anthony Clarke, Lord Justice Laws and Lady Justice Hallett overturned the decision and refused permission for him to appeal to the House of Lords.