As you flicked through your Sunday papers yesterday, you may have
noticed the front page of the Observer proclaim ‘Top QC quits Lib Dems in
protest at secret courts’. Even that triumphant headline undersold this
story.
Leading human rights barrister, Dinah Rose QC, has many years of
extensive practical experience of the operation of closed material procedures,
in SIAC, in control order cases, and in other proceedings. She has seen them
from every perspective - of the Government, as a Special Advocate, and as
Counsel for the individual appellant. Indeed, she is believed to be the only
person who has acted in SIAC for the Home Secretary, as a Special Advocate, and
for appellants.
Her conclusion is that CMPs cannot be fairly operated – how much more convincing can you get? Her brave resignation from the Liberal Democrats on secret courts is damning. She said it all in the last line of her resignation letter 'I just cannot see what purpose is served by the party, if it is prepared to support the Bill.’
Just as the news of Dinah’s resignation was sinking in, another heroic act played out in Brighton. Jo Shaw, member of the Lib Dem federal executive and rising star, resigned her membership at the end of her conference speech. In an emotional, valiant and eloquent speech, Jo outlined the damaging situation the party is in. "It’s not me Nick, it’s you" she said from the platform to chuckles. She continued "and I fervently hope that eventually someone leads this party who will act according to liberal principle and scrap this Bill. Because I am a liberal, and a democrat, and I am against this sort of thing."
The fight against the Justice and Security Bill has, at times, seemed too difficult and there have been occasions when even the most fervent of campaigners have been disheartened. The courage of these two fearless women should give us all heart that there is still principle in politics.
