UK Tories pushing to scrap human rights act

The UK’s new Justice Secretary, Michael Gove is pushing forward with controversial Conservatives’ plans to scrap the Human Rights Act.

Gove has returned to the cabinet with the job of scrapping the Act, a long-held Tory pledge which has caused alarm among human rights experts who claim the party wants to reduce rights, Huffpost reported.

The move would scrap European laws which include right to life, the right to a fair trial, and the right not to be enslaved or tortured – but PM David Cameron plans to introduce a ‘British Bill of Rights’ to replace the Act and protect similar rights.

Now Human Rights Activist Lee Jasper says, “The British government’s proposal to abolish the human rights act is a fundamental error. This will lead to loss of Britain’s standing in the world as being a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights, it will increase the level of human rights abuses that take place in the country currently and it will be a denial of justice for millions; over 8 million black and ethnic minority citizens.”

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