Boris Johnson plans to ‘opt out of Human Rights laws’ – 11 firm objections

Oonagh Keating. Updated September 13th, 2020

Boris Johnson has decided to take a step back from *checks notes* human rights laws, although the details are somewhat sketchy.

Here’s how the Telegraph shared the news.

Sunday TELEGRAPH: “Johnson set to opt out of human rights laws” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/bxlD7TzvHw

— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 12, 2020

The article came in for some criticism.

This article is so deeply confused. You're not going to opt-out of the Human Rights Act. That's domestic legislation. I think they're trying to say the European Convention but honestly it's so all over the place it's hard to discern. https://t.co/Z5OrTcOJW5

— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) September 12, 2020

I Am Incorrigible FCA clarified somewhat.

Sunday Telegraph reports Boris Johnson intends to opt out of major portions of the European Convention on Human Rights

First punted back in Feb, this could mean repudiating the GFA, lose the UKs seat on the Council of Europe & end EU cooperation on policing & crime.@lbc #marr pic.twitter.com/JlDBzbUBhz

— I Am Incorrigible FCA (@ImIncorrigible) September 12, 2020

People weren’t happy – or particularly surprised.

Well THAT didn't take long.

Coming next week: Priti Patel smirkingly announces the reintroduction of hanging. https://t.co/FsJuEpr56x

— Charlie Stross (@cstross) September 12, 2020

Ignoring international law, trying to criminalise protest & ‘opting out’ of human rights laws. For such a Eurosceptic party they really like 1930s Germany, don’t they? pic.twitter.com/jp9BhcJPvA

— Nick Pettigrew (@Nick_Pettigrew) September 12, 2020

I mean let’s be fair here. You start letting humans have rights, where will it end? Animal rights? Special rights for children? End of days. https://t.co/vcg5QmKHOq

— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) September 12, 2020

Wonder if it’s possible to opt out of the law that says you’re not allowed to bury the Prime Minister under a thousand cubic metres of dogshit. pic.twitter.com/77ZedGIwze

— Profanity Dog (@ProfanityDog) September 12, 2020

It’s fine, though. The only people who benefit from human rights legislation are the foreigns and the queers, right?

If the laws were there to protect everyone, that would be the time to worry about a government with no regard for its citizens trying to tear them up. pic.twitter.com/TBbXHadJay

— 🏳️‍🌈 Max 🏳️‍🌈 (@SpillerOfTea) September 12, 2020

Boris Johnson wants to opt out of civilisation https://t.co/FKU6NKVTyX

— Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) September 12, 2020

Yes please, human rights, terrible things, let's get rid of them https://t.co/8UHLfdJfT9

— Jacob Aron (@jjaron) September 12, 2020

And then they came for me… https://t.co/WPXc1ml0X1

— Mr Malky (@MrMalky) September 12, 2020

'The Sunday Telegraph, all the authoritarian-curious government kite-flying that's fit to print' https://t.co/TbMrq90vhA

— Peter Geoghegan (@PeterKGeoghegan) September 12, 2020

10.

Pesky human rights, getting in the way of bringing back feudal serfdom https://t.co/lmeb2mo9YL

— Enough Of That Now (@AndyGilder) September 12, 2020

11.

As a cat, this doesn’t bother me, but if I were a human I’d want clarity pretty quickly on which rights the government wants to take away from me… pic.twitter.com/7Y8PzwEgty

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) September 12, 2020

Finally, former MP Sarah Wollaston had a question.

Which of their own human rights would MPs want to lose? pic.twitter.com/JwirfSigSg

— Sarah Wollaston (@sarahwollaston) September 12, 2020

Perhaps someone can bring that up at PMQs.

Source @AllieHBNews Image Telegraph