Individual and Group Rights Liberals are committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of the individual and to setting freedom first. We believe that individual rights are paramount subject only to the rights of others and of future generations. It is a fundamental Liberal belief that no one should be discriminated against or disadvantaged by their gender, culture, religion, race, age, sexual orientation, or disability . Civil Liberties Liberals call for the establishment of a Constitutional Convention, with an extensive brief, to draft a Bill of Rights and a written Constitution. These should incorporate the rights of access to private personal records, freedom of association, lawful demonstration, dissent picketing, privacy , and protection from racial, sexual or any other form ofharassment. Liberals also believe that the European Convention on Human Rights should be incorporated into British law. Taken together, these measures would provide a base forbuilding the positive conditions of liberty . We condemn the continuing erosion of civil liberties, and believe that the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (P ACE) must be immediately amended, at the very least to remove such controversial matters as random stop and search powers for the Police. We would also bring the English law into line with that in Scotland, limiting detention without charge to 6 hours. We would introduce effective legal remedies for groups and individuals who have suffered as a consequence of state inflicted injustice and ensure that victims are adequately compensate d. Euthanasia Liberals believe that the freedom of an individual ought to extend to the right to die with dignity at a time of one’s own choosing. Acc ordingly , Liberals seek a comprehensive study of voluntary euthanasia, drawing on experience in the Netherlands where this practice already operates on a limited basis. Identity Cards The increasing use of sophisticated technology , whilst bringing undoubted benefits to society , also poses new threats to individual liberty , particularly i n relation to Identity Cards. The Liberal Party opposes the introduction of any form of national Identity Card, whethervoluntary or compulsory.
Individual and Group RightsLiberals are committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of the individual and tosetting freedom first. We believe that individual rights are paramount subject only to therights of others and of future generations. It is a fundamental Liberal belief that no oneshould be discriminated against or disadvantaged by their gender, culture, religion, race,age, sexual orientation, or disability.
Civil Liberties
Liberals call for the establishment of a Constitutional Convention, with an extensive
brief, to draft a Bill of Rights and a written Constitution. These should incorporate therights of access to private personal records, freedom of association, lawful demonstration,dissent picketing, privacy, and protection from racial, sexual or any other form of harassment. Liberals also believe that the European Convention on Human Rights shouldbe incorporated into British law. Taken together, these measures would provide a base for building the positive conditions of liberty.
We condemn the continuing erosion of civil liberties, and believe that the Police andCriminal Evidence Act (PACE) must be immediately amended, at the very least to removesuch controversial matters as random stop and search powers for the Police. We wouldalso bring the English law into line with that in Scotland, limiting detention without chargeto 6 hours. We would introduce effective legal remedies for groups and individuals whohave suffered as a consequence of state inflicted injustice and ensure that victims areadequately compensated.
Euthanasia
Liberals believe that the freedom of an individual ought to extend to the right to die withdignity at a time of one’s own choosing. Accordingly, Liberals seek a comprehensive studyof voluntary euthanasia, drawing on experience in the Netherlands where this practicealready operates on a limited basis.
Identity Cards
The increasing use of sophisticated technology, whilst bringing undoubted benefits tosociety, also poses new threats to individual liberty, particularly in relation to Identity Cards.The Liberal Party opposes the introduction of any form of national Identity Card, whether voluntary or compulsory.
Liberals are concerned at the increased use of surveillance cameras in public places. Weare particularly concerned at the serious implications for individuals’ privacy, the risk of theillegitimate use of surveillance cameras, and of commercial exploitation of tapes. Webelieve that over reliance on such surveillance deals with the results of social breakdownrather than its causes. The Liberal Party calls for the appointment if an independentcommittee to safeguard the public interest and to regulate the use of cameras both onprivate and public property.
Privacy
Liberals are perturbed by the apparent lack of respect for individual rights shown by thepress and media. However, we are also very concerned at the misuse of existing libel lawsby those rich and powerful enough to use the law to protect themselves from legitimateinvestigation in the public interest. Liberals believe that the libel laws need amending to:
• limit the liability to those with editorial control of offending published material -instead of the present situation where the printers and distributors of such materialare also quite unfairly liable to be sued. The object of such legal action should notbe to receive excessive financial settlements but rather establish facts and getcorrections printed - financial compensation should be given a much lower priority;
• introduce legal aid in cases of libel to allow ordinary citizens to use and participatein the legal system fairly.
Justice
Easier access to legal services and simplified court procedures are essential. Furthermore,the Legal Aid system does not correct the present inequalities before the law as only thepoorest fifth of the population are now eligible for full civil legal aid. Extensive legal reformsare urgently needed to correct the imbalance between those who can afford to hire teamsof expensive lawyers and sustain the losses, and those who cannot. Liberals believe thatthere is a simple, radical solution to this problem: the creation of a National Justice Service(NJS).
Under the NJS, anyone seeking to bring a legal action would need to show reasonablecause, at which point the NJS would determine what legal services are required and atwhat cost. Both sides would be constrained by a budget imposed by the NJS and henceprevented from driving up the costs unjustifiably. Liberals believe that equal access, rather than choice, must be the overriding consideration.
Liberals support a wide range of measures which would enable all women to develop their full potential in a society which currently discriminates against them in many ways. Our taxcredit scheme would remove any remaining discrimination in the tax system and a “Carer’sCredit” would be introduced for all those at home who care for the young, the old, thedisabled or frail. We further believe that all lone parents with one or more children under the age of 16 should have the right to choose to remain at home as a ‘carer’ and that doingso should not incur any penalty under the benefit system. Legislation is needed to ensureequal pay for work of equal value by means of nondiscriminatory job evaluation.
With regard to health, we favour the introduction of “Well Women” clinics to provideprimary health care, support and education, as well as immediate aftercare for victims of family assault, rape and incest. Education and the dissemination of information abouthealth needs and diet would be instituted, together with limited assistance for women'ssupport and self-help groups. Liberals support the right of a woman to have an abortion.
Liberals advocate the introduction of new incentives to achieve more flexible attitudestoward job sharing and part-time work, enabling more women to participate in the labour market. “Women only” skill centres should be promoted in areas of predominantly maleemployment. Action is needed to ensure that nursery provision, both in the community andin the workplace are adequate to enable all women who choose to work to do so, confident
in the knowledge that good and safe provision is available for their children.
Women are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment, both physical and mental.Liberals would commission studies on all aspects of intimidation with a view to introducingcountermeasures, such as caller ID to counteract the ten million obscene phone calls eachyear.
However, Liberals recognise that sex discrimination, sexual harassment and domesticviolence are not women only issues.
People with disabilities
Liberals supported the Disabled Persons Act of 1986 and call for sufficient resources to bemade available to ensure its full implementation. Other legislation aimed at improving thequality of life of the chronically sick and disabled is also urgently needed. Care in thecommunity needs to be fully supported, as should voluntary organisations and publicinformation campaigns to increase understanding of disability and combat prejudice andstigma.
Liberals recognize that disabled people are particularly vulnerable to discrimination andcall for anti-discrimination laws to be extended to cover disability. Liberals favour thedevelopment of self-advocacy by disabled people.
Liberals are also concerned that not enough provision is made in public and other
buildings to ensure adequate unaided access to facilities for people with disabilities. Wetherefore call for:
1. the provision of equal access to all buildings and facilities to which the public hasaccess;
2. improved health and safety regulations to ensure full protection for disabled people;3. all new public and private housing developments exceeding ten dwellings be
required to include a percentage of dwellings adapted for use by disabled people.
We further recognise the increasing problems faced by people with disabilities when usingpublic transport, and would therefore extend the above measures to include access topublic transport.
However, we recognise that there are some buildings and sites of historic or scientificinterests where such measures would be impractical and we envisage that local authoritiesbe given powers to grant exemption to those sites where good reason.
Young people
Young people are the future of our country and yet many are increasingly alienated fromour society. Liberals recognize that, from an early age, many children are reliant on the
education, welfare, recreation and community services to make up for severe deficienciesat home. This is why we set great store on these services and the concept of community. Afeeling of belonging, of wellbeing and security is a human instinct of particular importanceto children. The abuse and exploitation of youngsters must be quantified, taboos faceddown, and problems tackled well before adulthood, by which time, personalities andattitudes have crystallized.
Young adults should be introduced to responsibility and decision making at sixteen,incorporating economic independence with a choice between work, further education,community service or a combination of all three. Liberals call for the voting age and thecommon age of consent to be lowered to sixteen.
The Liberal Party believes that reasonable student grants should be re-established andextended to cover all types of training. We also call for the restoration of the rights of 16-17year olds to claim Housing Benefits and Income Support, pending the introduction of a taxcredit system.
Liberals recognise that whilst some young people are committing serious and deeplyantisocial offences, an approach which concentrates on incarcerating the most delinquentand damaged adolescents in large soulless institutions is nonsensical and inhumane. Webelieve that there must be an end to the use of prison custody for all young people under 18 and that the millions of pounds currently spent on such imprisonment be redirected to
Liberals do not believe in inflexible age limits. We seek a more flexible retirement age andgreater use of part-time work and job sharing which is ideal for the passing on of skillsbefore complete retirement.
Those on a retirement pension would benefit under our proposed tax credit scheme. Under such a scheme, all would be entitled to a “pension” credit, a “housing” credit and a“personal” credit, to provide a non-means tested monetary income giving an adequatestandard of living and the freedom of choice as to how to spend their money.
Until our tax credit scheme is in place, Liberals would use the existing system to deliver abasic state pension which we have resolved must be set to at least what the FamilyBudget Unit describes as “Low Cost but Acceptable” (LCA) standard of living, which is,using 2000 data, at least £90 a week for a single pensioner and £135 a week for a couple.We also believe that additional non-means tested benefits will need to be paid to takeaccount of housing costs, disability and additional needs of older pensioners.
Liberals believe that private pensions schemes can enhance but can never replace a basicstate pension.
We also believe that individuals should be able to save for additional benefits in a nationalscheme where the individual pension is related to contributions and investment returns.Because these benefits would be financed directly and genuinely from contributions, thosewho have saved for their retirement would no longer be penalised because of thosesavings.
To ensure that these monies are no longer “raided” by government a separate NationalPension and Investment Trust should be established. Such a trust would allow theexpectation of flexible retirement ages and would cater for the substantial number of employees who regularly change employment or are in self-employed or part-time work.
As a society we should avoid institutionalising the frail elderly if at all possible - care in thecommunity, properly resourced, is our preferred solution. Sheltered housing schemes andthe benefits of new communications systems have given retired people a newindependence which Liberals support. The home help and meals on wheels services mustbe maintained and improved.
In order to safeguard people’s financial planning for their retirement, trust law needs to beextended to ensure that pensioners’ entitlements are protected from fraud. Private pensionfunds should mandatorily include an independent trustee together with adequate trainingbeing provided. The powers of the Pensioners Ombudsman should be increased.
Britain has always been a diverse and multi-cultural society which owes much to thepeoples of many different ethnic origins who choose to live here. Liberals believe incultural pluralism, whereby all groups can maintain their traditions within the law, therebyachieving a greater understanding between different peoples. Unfortunately, racialdiscrimination and disadvantage still operate in this country at every level, especially inemployment and housing. Racial abuse and attacks are on the increase.
Liberals call for the setting up of a “Human Rights Commission” to oversee the introductionof tougher legislation to combat discrimination and introduce contract compliance and
monitoring. Multi-cultural education and mother tongue teaching should be given greater emphasis and police consultative committees should be strengthened.
Steps must be taken to protect and promote the Welsh, Gaelic and Cornish languages andencouragement given to teaching through the medium of these languages at all levels of education.
All government publications should be made available in the languages of all our ethnicminorities. Public information (including street signs) should also be provided in the mainlanguages spoken in local communities.
Freedom of movement
Liberals believe that, subject only to the rights of others, every individual is entitled to theright of freedom of movement wheresoever they wish to go and to the right of abode,wheresoever they wish to live. Our ultimate goal is the creation of a world in which nationalboundaries and prejudices offer no barriers to those who wish to exercise these rights.
We have opposed every Immigration Act since 1962, and deplore the ways in which theseActs have been used against refugees and those seeking to be with loved ones in thiscountry. We reject as irrational suggestions that the liberalisation of immigration lawswould lead to over concentration of peoples in countries such as Britain.
Liberals urge a liberal interpretation of the Vienna Convention on refugees, a right to legalrepresentation and review before deportation and cooperation under the auspices of theUN High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure the equitable settlement of refugees whoflee oppression without having a predetermined destination.
