Independence is the only way to safeguard key rights and protections for Scottish people, the SNP has warned, amidst reports the Tories could rip up a convention enshrining human rights.
It comes as senior Tories refused to rule out campaigning to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) at the next election if controversial UK government Rwanda deportations are blocked by the treaty.
It follows Tory attempts to rip up the UK’s 1998 Human Rights Act despite widespread opposition from advocacy groups and human rights organisations.
Commenting, the SNP’s Home Affairs spokesperson, Alison Thewliss MP said:
“These are not idle Tory threats, we already know from their long standing battle against human rights legislation that basic rights and protections will never be safe under Westminster rule.
“Our membership of the ECHR affords each and every one of us key human rights and basic protections that should never be trampled on or jeopardised.
“People in Scotland should not have their human rights ripped up or threatened because of the deplorable actions of the Conservatives and their obsession with deporting and dehumanising desperate refugees and asylum seekers.
“The fact this is seriously being considered by senior Tories spells out a very dystopian future where human rights are reduced to mere political tools in the UK.
“The Tories have made it abundantly clear that we can only protect the rights of Scottish people with the full powers of independence.”
