Britain Discovers Human Rights Laws Inconvenient for Asylum Policy
Mainstream outlets report the UK government is reviewing human rights laws to reshape asylum policy. ('Britain reviews human rights laws in shake-up of asylum policy' - The New Arab). This isn't a 'review'; it's an attempted renegotiation of fundamental decency, conveniently forgetting that these 'laws' were often established precisely to protect those fleeing persecution that Britain itself, at
times, helped create or exacerbate through colonial legacies or foreign policy choices. One might wonder if Britain’s historical enthusiasm for 'humanitarian intervention' extends to those seeking refuge within its borders, or whether 'human rights' only apply in places where there isn't a political cost. The government now seeks to apply a more 'pragmatic' (read: less inconvenient) interpretation
of its obligations. How quaint, to discover human rights only become problematic when they apply to actual humans seeking protection, rather than as a rhetorical weapon in international affairs.