Lord Bingham, champion of human rights, dies
By politics.co.uk staff
One of Britain’s most dedicated and effective defenders of human rights has died, prompting tributes from allies and friends.
Lord Bingham, former lord chief justice, died of cancer, aged 76, at home in Wales.
He ruled that the detention of foreign terror suspects without charge breached their human rights, said Britain’s decision to invade Iraq breached international law and was a committed and outspoken defender of the Human Rights Act.
“His achievements are numerous but I will never forget his 2009 speech to Liberty’s conference in defence of the Human Rights Act,” said Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty.
“‘Which of these rights, I ask, would we wish to discard? Are any of them trivial, superfluous, unnecessary? Are any of them un-British? There may be those who would like to live in a country where these rights are not protected but I am not of their number’.
“As long as people anywhere fight torture and slavery, treasure free speech, fair trials, personal privacy and liberty itself, Lord Bingham will be remembered.”
Lord Bingham’s impressive career in law saw him take the role of master of the rolls, lord chief justice of England and Wales and senior law lord.
