The Convention on Modern Liberty
Encyclopedia
The Convention on Modern Liberty is a British voluntary body and programme of the Open Trust, set up in September 2008, that aims to highlight what it sees as the erosion of civil liberties
in the UK. Its stated purpose is: "A call to all concerned with attacks on our fundamental rights and freedoms under pressure from counter-terrorism, financial breakdown and the database state."
The campaign was founded by Henry Porter
, London editor of Vanity Fair, and Anthony Barnett, a founder member of Charter 88. It is sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
, openDemocracy
, Liberty (UK), NO2ID
, and The Guardian
.
In February 2009, the Convention organised the largest civil liberties gathering ever held in the UK, with meetings of journalists, lawyers, politicians, and campaigners held in eight cities across the country. Speakers included Shami Chakrabarti
, Marina Warner, Fatima Bhutto
, Timothy Garton Ash
, Clive Stafford Smith
, Helena Kennedy, and Joanne Cash.
Civil liberties in the UK have become a cause for concern among disparate groups. Martin Scheinin, a United Nations investigator, reported in February 2009 to the UN Human Rights Council that Britain was undermining the public's civil liberties. In the same month, Stella Rimington
, the former director general of MI5
, the country's domestic security service, said that Britain's counter-terrorism policies risked turning it into a police state.
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
in the UK. Its stated purpose is: "A call to all concerned with attacks on our fundamental rights and freedoms under pressure from counter-terrorism, financial breakdown and the database state."
The campaign was founded by Henry Porter
Henry Porter (journalist)
Henry Porter is an English author and journalist. He is a writer of thrillers and a regular columnist for The Observer newspaper. He is also the British editor of Vanity Fair....
, London editor of Vanity Fair, and Anthony Barnett, a founder member of Charter 88. It is sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is a British social policy research and development charity, that funds a UK-wide research and development programme. It seeks to understand the root causes of social problems, to identify ways of overcoming them, and to show how social needs can be met in practice...
, openDemocracy
OpenDemocracy
openDemocracy is a website for debate about international politics and culture, offering news and opinion articles from established academics, journalists and policymakers covering current issues in world affairs. openDemocracy was founded in 2000 by Anthony Barnett, David Hayes, Susan Richards and...
, Liberty (UK), NO2ID
NO2ID
NO2ID, the public campaign, was formed in 2004 to campaign against the United Kingdom government's plans to introduce UK ID Cards and the associated National Identity Register, which it believes has negative implications for privacy, civil liberties and personal safety.NO2ID is entirely independent...
, and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
In February 2009, the Convention organised the largest civil liberties gathering ever held in the UK, with meetings of journalists, lawyers, politicians, and campaigners held in eight cities across the country. Speakers included Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti CBE , has been the director of Liberty, a British pressure group, since September 2003. Chakrabarti is the Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.-Early life:...
, Marina Warner, Fatima Bhutto
Fatima Bhutto
Fatima Bhutto born, Fatima Murtaza Bhutto on 29 May 1982, is a Pakistani poet and writer. She is granddaughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the niece of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and daughter of Murtaza Bhutto....
, Timothy Garton Ash
Timothy Garton Ash
Timothy Garton Ash is a British historian, author and commentator. He is currently serving as Professor of European Studies at Oxford University. Much of his work has been concerned with the late modern and contemporary history of Central and Eastern Europe...
, Clive Stafford Smith
Clive Stafford Smith
Clive Adrian Stafford Smith OBE is a British [see talk] lawyer who specialises in the areas of civil rights and the death penalty in the United States of America....
, Helena Kennedy, and Joanne Cash.
Civil liberties in the UK have become a cause for concern among disparate groups. Martin Scheinin, a United Nations investigator, reported in February 2009 to the UN Human Rights Council that Britain was undermining the public's civil liberties. In the same month, Stella Rimington
Stella Rimington
Dame Stella Rimington, DCB is a British author, who was the Director General of MI5 from 1992 to 1996. She was the first female DG of MI5, and the first DG whose name was publicised on appointment...
, the former director general of MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, the country's domestic security service, said that Britain's counter-terrorism policies risked turning it into a police state.