54 - Why the Human Rights Act matters

I am delighted to share a full chapter from the audio edition of my new book, Emergency State, read by me.  If you want to listen to the full audio book, you can download it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emergency-State-Freedoms-Pandemic-Matters/dp/B0B1MV62XS/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1665417631&sr=8-1 Some reviews of the book: 'Superb... authoritative, thoughtful and terrifying in equal measure' - The Secret Barrister 'A riveting account of how our democracy was put under threat during the Pandemic and why we must never let the Emergency State - all-powerful but ignorant and corrupt - take over again' ― Lady Hale, former President of the UK Supreme Court 'A book that needed to be written - and nobody could have done it better' ― Joshua Rozenberg

Today I am joined by lawyer and commentator David Allen Green to discuss the governments problematic Bill of Rights Bill, which is intended to replace the Human Rights Act

Barrister Harriet Johnson talks about her important new book on violence against women. For more see www.better humanpodcast.com

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked the world, with daily reports and videos of atrocities. But can international law help? What are the laws of war, war crimes and crimes against humanity? And will anyone ever be prosecuted? I am joined by Tatyana Eatwell, barrister and joint head of the international practice team at Doughty Street Chambers. More at www.betterhumanpodcast.com

Where do human rights come from? In this special musical episode, I speak to Tom Blackmore, grandson of David Maxwell-Fyfe, the Nuremberg Trials prosecutor and founding figure in the modern human rights movement. As Europe again is at war, a timely reminder of how a previous generation saw human rights as the answer. For more see www.betterhumanpodcast.com

A bill is going through parliament which will make significant changes to judicial review - the means by which individuals can challenge unlawful decisions by public authorities. What is at stake and what will it mean for rights protection? I am joined by Kamla Adiseshiah and Pragna Patel. For more see www.betterhumanpodcast.com

This week, for Holocaust Memorial Day, I speak to the daughter of a Holocaust Survivor and the grandson of a senior Nazi and hear how they have come together to educate about the Holocaust. For more information www.betterhumanpodcast.com

The law of joint enterprise murder has been described as a dragnet because it can criminalise people on the very periphery of a crime. This week I am joined by Jan Cunliffe and John Crilly, two people who's life experiences have led them to campaigning against what they see as an unjust law. For more information and to support the podcast go to www.betterhumanpodcast.com 

The government wants to reform the Human Rights Act. In this episode - record before the proposals were announced - Francesca Klug, Kirsty Brimelow QC, Dimitrios Giannoulopoulos and I discuss why our human rights law is important. Thank you to Goldsmiths Law for allowing me to record this live event.

The Windrush scandal is one of the most important and shocking in recent years, as British citizens were treated as if their citizenship never existed, losing livelihoods and sometimes, as you will hear in this episode, their very humanity. In this episode I speak to Ramya Jaidev co-founder of advocacy group Windrush Lives, and Anthony Williams, one of the victims of the scandal. For more resources go to www.betterhumanpodcast.com