Daniel Hannan: Britain cannot now remain under the European Court of Human Rights
In their partisan fervour, the blue-robed judges have forced our hand. Their demand that Switzerland adopt more aggressive net zero policies is so partial, so at odds with any sensible reading of the text of the European Convention and so incompatible with representative government that it leaves us (and every other self-respecting democracy) with no option but to leave.
Strasbourg court has not given us any choice. If it thinks there is a human right to specific climate mitigation policies, it might just as easily declare that there is a human right to be given a particular type of housing, a certain level of healthcare, a given number of years in education – you name it. At which point, there is no purpose in holding elections.
Those who fought this case – on paper, some old ladies claiming to have been personally affected by climate change
One of the advocates representing them was a British KC called Jessica Simor, a lawyer who sometimes appears to talk more like a student activist than a barrister.
Responding to the verdict on German television, she gave the game away:
“In Switzerland it’s particularly problematic because they have referendums. And one of the defences run by the government was, ‘We had a referendum on this, and the people decided they didn’t want it.’ ”
And there, ladies and gentlemen, is what is really going on. Votes are “problematic”.
Daniel Hannan Telegraph 13 April 2024
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