Leaving ECHR would trample citizens’ rights, humanists tell Tory conference

Humanists UK raised the importance and impact of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Human Rights Act at Conservative Party Conference, and warned against their repeal.

At Conservative Party Conference we held a fringe with More in Common entitled Britons and Blasphemy chaired by Jemimah Steinfeld, Chief Executive of Index on Censorship. This panel event explored how the Government can balance addressing prejudice against religious people and safeguarding the rights of those who want to challenge religion, as well as the risk of blasphemy laws returning in light of recent events. Speaking on the panel, Andrew Copson, Humanists UK Chief Executive, underlined the importance of the European Convention on Human Rights and Human Rights Act in protecting and upholding freedom of speech, and said that the law should be applied more strictly to the police and other authorities to maximise freedom of expression. 

One of the key questions explored at the panel concerned a recent case where a man was convicted by Westminster Magistrates Court for burning a copy of the Quran while shouting disparaging remarks about Islam within hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm, or distress. The judge stated that the burning of a religious book was not in and of itself unlawful, even if it is offensive to some. But the location of the burning, outside the Turkish Embassy, and Coskun’s associated actions, made his behaviour disorderly and so he was convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence under Section 31 of the Crime and Disorder Act. In the week following the panel, this case was overturned on appeal by Southwark Crown Court. Humanists UK has welcomed the new verdict as a huge victory for free speech and a blow against the revival of blasphemy laws in England and Wales by the back door. 

On the panel, Andrew also stressed that blasphemy accusations are a cross-religion problem, beyond the recent Quran burning prosecutions. He raised numerous examples of restrictions on freedom of speech including the Advertising Standards Authority banning pop star Demi Lovato’s advert in 2022 for being offensive to Christians, and similarly banning comedian Fern Brady’s advert in 2024 on the basis that it was a sacrilegious depiction of the Virgin Mary. 

Throughout the conference, Humanists UK spoke to MPs, peers, and civil society representatives to raise humanist issues and urge against the Conservative Party and Reform’s commitment to withdraw from the ECHR if they win the next election. Humanists UK is alarmed by the ongoing attacks on the ECHR amid wider Labour consideration on how Article 3 (prohibition of torture) and Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) are interpreted in relation to asylum cases.

Humanists UK attends the party conferences to meet with parliamentarians, advocate for humanist issues, and to engage with our party-political members and supporters. We also attended the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and Green conferences.