Celebrities write to Prime Minister to mark Human Rights Day

Well-known figures including Stephen Fry, Brian Cox and Joanna Lumley wrote to the Prime Minister to mark Human Rights Day and urge the Government not to water down vital protections. The letter was published ahead of David Lammy’s visit to the Council of Europe summit where he’ll be discussing reforms to Article 3 of the ECHR

Dear Prime Minister, 

We are writing to you as people who care deeply about this country, its global influence and the values that define us as a country. In an increasingly unstable world, Britain must lead by example on the global stage and ensure that the rights, freedoms and laws that sustain our democracy are upheld for all.  

The stakes are high. There are more conflicts globally than at any time since the Second World War; authoritarian regimes are on the rise and global freedoms are in decline. Experts warn of an upsurge in torture around the world and that cruelty is becoming normalised. The rule of law is under attack, and perpetrators of the gravest international crimes are getting away with it. Britain, long known for its deep-rooted commitment to democracy, fairness and the rule of law, must take a principled stand. 

Britain has led in the creation of a global rules-based order designed to protect us all, from the sealing of the Magna Carta to our defining role in shaping a universal human rights framework in the wake of the horrors of the Second World War. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the UN Convention against Torture are at the heart of that legacy. They have saved lives, delivered justice and shown the world that Britain leads not by fear, but by principle. Any attempt at undermining their universal protections is an affront to us all and a threat to the security of each and every one of us.  

Torture was outlawed in England hundreds of years ago and polling shows that an overwhelming majority of the British public agree that torture can never be justified. There can be no exceptions, no loopholes, no lesser protections for some than for others. It is the most terrible abuse of power towards a defenceless person, an attack on an individual’s humanity and a grave violation of their dignity. People who have survived the horror of torture experience on-going trauma for years.  

In their work with survivors, organisations such as Freedom from Torture continue to see first-hand the devastation wrought by torture and why we must fight to keep the absolute prohibition on torture just that.  Undermining these protections would fracture the moral fabric of our society and take this country down a dark path from which it will struggle to return.  

Now more than ever we need to find strength in unity, resilience through compassion and progress by protecting the rights that keep us all safe from harm. We cannot turn our back on our principles.  

In countries like ours, of those seeking asylum, an estimated one person in three has experienced torture in their home country. People fleeing for their lives still see Britain as a place of sanctuary, where fairness is not selective and where the law protects those who need it most rather than exposing them to danger. To send anyone back into the hands of their torturers would not be reform, but a profound betrayal of who we are and the values we proudly claim as British. 

This moment is bigger than politics. It is about what kind of nation we want to be and what kind of world we want to live in. Will Britain remain a beacon of human rights and the rule of law, or signal to authoritarian states across the globe that these cardinal principles can be abandoned? 

In accordance with hundreds of years of proud global leadership Britain must remain steadfast in upholding and championing our shared right to live a life free from torture, without exception. This means resisting any attempts to roll back vital protections and demanding accountability for perpetrators without fear or favour. We are looking to you to choose a future in which our country continues to stand tall for dignity, justice, humanity and hope. 

Yours sincerely,