As a retired Christian minister, I very much welcome the powerful and challenging article by Prof Philippe Sands (From Gaza to Ukraine, what would the pioneers of human rights think of our world today?, 13 December). In the service that I led in our uniting church in Swansea last Sunday – international Human Rights Day – I shared some of the key articles of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the congregation. A number commented afterwards on how powerful and challenging its affirmations are.
We were therefore shocked to see that the UK government is prepared to turn its back on the declaration that has been the foundation of our common humanity and our shared sense of justice and freedom for all over the last 75 years merely to serve party political ends, and to implement an immigration policy that is clearly in contravention of the declaration. It is also a denial of what we, as Christians, would regard as a universal recognition, founded in the teaching of Jesus, of the dignity, freedom and equality of all people, irrespective of race, religion, sexuality, national identity or political conviction.
We were particularly struck by the constant reiteration of words such as “all” and “no one”, underlining the fact that for those who developed and signed this declaration on behalf of our nations 75 years ago, universal meant universal and all meant all. We must not now turn our backs on that vision and conviction for reasons of political expediency.
Rev Dr Noel Anthony Davies
Swansea
I am not sure that Rishi Sunak is showing enough commitment to win through on his Rwanda bill. His legal team deems it consistent with the rule of law to pass a bill overriding the UN refugee convention, and his goal is apparently to deter people from coming to the UK.
As a longtime human rights lawyer, I offer a modest solution: why not announce that we have had enough of the woke adherence to the UN convention against torture, and we will waterboard those fortunate enough to avoid drowning in the Channel. That should put them off.
As for children, the UN convention on the rights of the child is really just mollycoddling, so when they have overcome seasickness from the crossing, put them in solitary confinement in the Bibby Stockholm, the prison hulk in Portland.
Please just call for more free legal advice.
Clive Stafford Smith
Bridport, Dorset
I wonder if TV bosses might be interested in the idea of replacing I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! with a new reality show, in which contestants are dropped in a war-torn or repressive country – the likes of Iran, Afghanistan, Syria or Rwanda – and then required to make their way to the UK (Nigel Farage to swap the jungle for the Tory party? At this point, why not let him at it, 11 December).
I’ve already come up with a number of ideal participants, such as Suella Braverman, Robert Jenrick, Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Mark Francois and, of course, Nigel Farage. But I am sure that fellow Guardian readers could come up with other names to add to that motley crew.
Jim King
Birmingham
Satirists must be in despair. How can they compete with the Tory government, which is now putting fantasy into legislation. It being Christmas, maybe it is time for them to pass a motion that Father Christmas really lives at the north pole before the chance passes.
Michael McLoughlin
(North Pole Research Group), Wallington, London
