Tory plan to scrap Human Rights Act lacks clarity

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th Jun 2006

Andrew Simpson has reacted to Tory plans to scrap the Human Rights Act by branding him "confused and xenophobic".

In a speech to the Centre for Policy Studies on Monday, Conservative leader David Cameron pledged to draft a Bill of Rights, but failed to give any firm examples of how this would counter what he called the 'inadequacies' of the Human Rights Act.

Commenting on the announcement, Andrew said: "David Cameron clearly doesn't understand that human rights are universal. Britain is held in high esteem because of its commitment to human rights in the face of serious moral challenges. There have been many cases where people have used the Act for the better and to rip it up is a ludicrous suggestion.

"David Cameron seems to be suggesting that rights are something peculiarly British, which misses the whole point."

Speaking to the BBC, Liberal Democrat Constitutional Affairs spokesperson, Simon Hughes said: "The answer is to seek better collective protection, not rip up human rights obligations which have stood the test of time and are important guarantees for the rights of us all."