For the Labour party and the Tories torture is fine as long as it is happening to someone else.
Keir Starmer’s abstention from both the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill and the Overseas Bill is about as shameful and spineless as it gets. It’s good to see there are still those near the front bench with a modicum of morals. “35 Labour MPs including seven opposition frontbenchers have broken the party whip today by voting against the covert human intelligence sources (criminal conduct) bill at third reading in the House of Commons.
The government-proposed legislation, which authorises criminal conduct by bodies such as police forces to enable their work, was approved by MPs with 313 votes in favour and 98 against including the SNP and Lib Dems.”https://labourlist.org/…/35-labour-mps-break-whip…/…
“Concerns regarding this bill have been discussed widely in recent days but it is worth restating some of the key reasons why there is such broad, growing and impressive opposition across civil society. This alliance includes Liberty, Amnesty and other human rights organisations, trade unions, peace and climate justice campaigners, anti-racist groups and many others who simply want the right to campaign on important causes without police infiltration.
These concerns include – but are not limited to – the CHIS Bill allowing state agents to commit crimes to stay undercover; no limit being placed on the type of crimes they can commit, which could include murder, torture or sexual violence; allowing the committing of crimes to “prevent disorder” or maintain “economic well-being;” as well as the lack of a provision for innocent victims to get compensation and a lack of prior judicial authorisation to commit a crime.
In other words, this bill could put undercover police officers and security agents above the law, granting a range of state agencies the power to licence agents and officers to commit grave crimes.[…]
The CHIS Bill came to Parliament hot on the heels of discussion over the Overseas Operations Bill. The latter is also being rushed through Parliament, and it is an insult that more time has not been given to scrutinise, amend and discuss such important pieces of legislation.
Myself and a number of Labour colleagues also voted against this bill, due to concerns that it both violates the rule of law and fails to protect the safety, wellbeing and rights of our military personnel.
As Shami Chakrabarti has made clear, it will “immunise the Ministry of Defence from claims by the very veterans it has neglected and claims to want to protect.”Of particular concern is the fact that there would be a presumption against any criminal prosecutions of soldiers five years after an incident took place – including with regard to war crimes, even though these often take far longer than five years to be discovered.
The bill also denies public transparency and accountability for military interventions, which is a serious matter considering the UK’s record in this area over recent decades. Liberty have therefore argued that if the Overseas Operations bill becomes law it will result in the effective decriminalisation of torture and many other breaches of the Geneva Convention.”- Jeremy Corbyn
To read more:https://www.tribunemag.co.uk/…/jeremy-corbyn-its-time…
You either despise torture or you approve of it. Abstention shouldn’t come in to it, especially for a human rights lawyer. Unfortunately, this should come as no surprise as Sir Keir has form in this area. For details, see:https://www.facebook.com/276296686091515/posts/1476152319439273/?extid=0&d=n
Just 18 Labour MPs broke ranks and voted against the #OverseasOperationsBill tonight which effectively legalises war crimes committed by British troops. Abbott, Begum, Blake, Burgon, Ian Byrne, Corbyn, Lavery, Long-Bailey, McDonnell, Osamor, Osborne, Ribeiro-Addy, Russell-Moyole, Sultana, Trickett, Webbe, Whittome, Winter.The rest abstained like cowards.
To read about the bill:https://tribunemag.co.uk/…/the-government-is-making-it…
This should come as little surprise…
“In 2012, Starmer announced that MI5 and MI6 agents would not face charges of torture and extraordinary rendition during the Iraq War, concluding that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. As an MP, Starmer voted against an investigation into the Iraq war.Of course, the Wikileaks Iraq War Logs demonstrates this to be absolute bunkum, which is perhaps why Sir Keir seems to have a particular hostility towards Julian Assange.[…]
There is also the question of why did then head of the CPS, Keir Starmer, meet then head of MI5, Sir Jonathan Evans, for informal social drinks in April 2013, the year after Starmer decided not to prosecute MI5 for its role in torture.There is no record any other CPS head accepting hospitality from an intel chief, ever.Sir Jonathan Evans left MI5 a week following his drinks with Starmer. The day after Evans left the service, Starmer announced he would also leave the CPS. Evans is now Baron Evans of Weardale after David Cameron made him a life peer in 2014, the same year that Starmer was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) for “services to law and criminal justice”.
”To read more: https://adsinistramuk.wordpress.com/…/a-keir-and…/
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