Scottish PEN, part of the worldwide association of writers fighting for freedom of expression and human rights, has written a blistering open letter for the Sunday Herald attacking the new Tory governments planned assault on liberty.
Among the signatories are some of the country's best known literary figures including Rebus author Ian Rankin, director of the Edinburgh Book Festival Nick Barley, novelists Alexander McCall Smith, James Roberston, Karen Campbell and Alan Bissett, historian Tom Devine, writer Neal Ascherson, and literary elder statesmen James Kelman and Alasdair Gray.
In the first week of taking office, our newly elected government has prioritised an agenda to remove the keystone of human rights in this country and dismantle vital legal protections for each and every citizen. We, the undersigned, wish to express our opposition to the Government's plans to extend the surveillance state, weaken Freedom of Information legislation and, above all, its declared intent to repeal the 1998 Human Rights Act. We are deeply concerned at the implications for individuals and institutions, not least because the European Convention of Human Rights form a fundamental part of the devolution settlements for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Repealing the 1998 Act would, we believe, undermine key elements of constitutional relationships within the UK, and have ramifications for our place within the European Union. The Government has yet to publish any significant detail on its proposed 'British Bill of Rights' but we are alarmed by the 'extremist' language being used by ministers and their supporters in certain sections of the fourth estate. It is clear, however, that these plans represent a major transfer of power away from ordinary citizens and towards the state, corporations and large vested interests, including a diminution of the rights of individuals to sue governments.
Our free press enjoys many legal protections based on its historic function of holding governments and power to account. With these plans certain to place the basis of our civil rights under huge duress, we call on our free press to fulfil this essential, historic role as a defender of our freedoms. All of our human rights have been under almost continuous assault since the turn of this century. Removal of the Human Rights Act will have many and unforeseen consequences but in the context of an already imminent increase in powers of surveillance and tightening anti-terrorist laws, the introduction of new legal definitions makes free speech more vulnerable than at any time since 1945. Scottish PEN will work with English PEN, Wales PEN Cymru and other PEN centres and human rights organisations across Europe to oppose the repeal of the Human Rights Act - including any consequent attempt by the British Government to withdraw from the European Convention of Human Rights. As writers, we believe the right to free expression is fundamental to a healthy society and its relationship to the wider world. We will defend that right and all associated freedoms against attack from any vested interest or government body. We hope others will join us.
http://www.scottishpen.org/human-rights-act-letter/
A C Clarke
Aimee Chalmers
Alan Bissett
ALAN GAY
Alan Riach
Alasdair Gray
Alexander McCall Smith
Alison Miller
Andrew Murray Scott
Ann E MacKinnon
Anne Connolly
Anne Donovan
Anne Dunford
Aonghas MacNeacail
Billy Kay
Brian Holton
Chiew-Siah Tei
Christine De Luca
Chrys Salt MBE
Claire Squires
Claudia Daventry
Colin Donati
David McDonald
Dennis Smith
Dilys Rose
Douglas Stuart Wilson
Dr Peta Freestone
Drew Campbell
Etta Dunn
Faith Pullin
Fiona Graham
Fiona Wilson
Frank Rodgers
Gerda Stevenson
Gerry Loose
Gillian Beattie-Smith
Graeme Macrae Burnet
Greg Michaelson
Helena Nelson
Iain Galbraith
Ian Crockatt
Ian Rankin
James Kelman [non-member]
James Robertson
Jane Archer
Jane McKie
Jean Rafferty
Jenni Calder
Jennifer Williams
Jo Clifford
Joan Lennon
Joan Lingard
Jules Horne
Karen Campbell
Kay Goodall
Kona Macphee
Les Wilson
lesley riddoch
Lin Anderson
Linda Menzies
Margaret Ryan
Mario Relich
Mark O. Goodwin
Martin Bates
Martin Chick
Mary Edward
Mary Smith
Matthew Fitt
Maureen Myant
Meaghan delahunt
Mei-Ling McNamara
Moira Forsyth
Neal Ascherson
Nick Barley
Paula Jennings
Regi Claire
Robyn Marsack
Roy Dalgleish Linlithgow Book Festival
Stephanie Green
Stewart Conn
Sue Reid Sexton
Susie Maguire
Suzanne Egerton
TM Devine
Tom Hubbard
Tom Pow
Una Leonie Flett
Vicki Feaver
Zoe Venditozzi
Zoe Wicomb
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article