The critical approach of the United Kingdom to the European Convention of Human Rights can potentially damage other countries’ adherence to human rights. This caution came from Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, as he visited London yesterday. The Council is the supervising body of the European Convention of Human Rights and its Protocols.
Much of the criticism relates to a feeling of the Strasbourg Court interfering with national law. The President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Phillips, considers that in relation to the European Convention, the Supreme Court is actually not the highest judicial authority. He said that, “The Strasbourg court has the last word. (more…)