Today’s papers resound with the news that Theresa May is resisting Liberal Democrat opposition to close
the loophole over the “right to family life”, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This change, it is argued, will ensure that foreign criminals are deported so that
the courts protect, as David Cameron put it, “the United Kingdom”. The announcement is a carefully choreographed step
to differentiate the Tories from the Liberal Democrats. Dr Evan Harris, the self-anointed king of the Lib Dems in exile, told the BBC this morning:
‘It’s actually a useful tool because it enables Nick Clegg to say the Human Rights Act (HRA) is here to say and David Cameron can say, “Look if we were in Government then we would be able to get rid of the Human Rights Act”.’
In general, the Tories are at pains not to kick the Liberal Democrats at this conference, but the Human Rights Act is a well-chosen exception to rouse the conference hall.
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