I took part in Decision Time on BBC Radio 4, first broadcast last night, in a discussion about the European Court of Human Rights – specifically whether the UK could denounce the European Convention on Human Rights, or otherwise reduce the Court’s power, in the light of the controversy over prisoners’ votes.
Nick Robinson chairs the discussion with Jack Straw, the Conservative MP Priti Patel, Sir Stephen Wall, former chief European adviser to the Prime Minister (and former “client” of mine in government, as it happens), and Allegra Stratton, political correspondent of the Guardian. It’s great fun to be called a “senior political insider”, and if Radio 4 says so, I won’t argue.
You can listen here for the next six days.
A very interesting discussion although I think little of Priti Patel’s contributions.
Am I being unkind to Jack Straw by wondering about his respect for the rule of law when he suggests using political leverage and the self-interest of the ECtHR judges in keeping their jobs to change the ruling relating to prisoner votes?
And, he bases his position on populism and/or so-called common sense – it is common sense that prisoners shouldn’t have votes, but to date no-one AFAIK has said why they shouldn’t, which is what the ECtHR is asking…
i don’t think i can bear to listen – even to hear your pearls of wisdom – if priti patel’s self-important vacuity is also featured.
I heard that, and it was very good.
off topic here, but has anyone else noticed that as well as the small matter of the destruction of legal aid, the justice (hah!) bill appears to be bringing in 16 hour curfews from 12? was that not found to be beyond the pale last time we got hauled up in front of those irritating euro-jonnies?
I heard that too, that’s good.