If you think Starmer’s Labour will protect human rights – think again

With Keir Starmer saying he is willing to look at how the European Convention on Human Rights is being interpreted, Kolbassia Haoussou warns that Britain losing its reputation as a standard-bearer on torture and humane treatment could have disastrous consequences worldwide

I know what it is like to live under a government for whom human rights means nothing. I grew up under an oppressive regime where speaking out could cost you your freedom, and where torture was a tool of control. In that world, there was no safety, no dignity, no justice.

When I came to the UK, I discovered something different. I found a country that had built its reputation on fairness, compassion and the rule of law. A country that had been central to drafting the treaties that protect human rights globally, and that had always tried to set a positive example to the world. The UK was a place where I believed dignity and safety mattered.

That is why I am so alarmed by the direction our leaders are taking. At the Labour Party conference, prime minister Keir Starmer spoke of a vision for Britain rooted in dignity and respect. But how can that vision be reconciled with him saying that he is willing to look at how Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights is being implemented?

Let’s be clear: chipping away at Article 3 would not be “reform”. It would be an attack on the absolute ban on torture. Article 3 is the guarantee that no one – no matter who we are or where we come from – can be subjected to torture or inhuman treatment. There are no exceptions, no caveats, no circumstances in which this right can be suspended. To weaken it is to undermine one of the most fundamental protections of human dignity that exists.

The consequences go far beyond domestic politics. Britain has long been a global leader in human rights, helping to shape the European Convention on Human Rights, the UN Convention Against Torture, and the Refugee Convention. If Britain now chooses to undermine those treaties, it gives a green light to authoritarian leaders across the world who want to justify their own abuses. By dismantling protections at home, we are doing the dirty work of repressive regimes abroad.

This isn’t who we are. The British public has always understood that human rights are not privileges for the few but safeguards for us all. When politicians tell us that rights must be stripped away from refugees or people fleeing torture, they are not just targeting the vulnerable – they are weakening the system that protects every one of us.

Either we all have human rights, or none of us do.

I understand the fear and anger many people feel today about the challenges our country faces. But scapegoating refugees will not fix those problems. Refugees are not responsible for long NHS waiting times, for struggling schools or for wages that do not keep up with the cost of living. Blaming the powerless is a political trick as old as history, and it only distracts us from finding real solutions.

Britain’s strength has always come from its moral leadership – from showing that even in times of hardship, we do not abandon our principles. Undermining treaties that protect people from torture and persecution is not a sign of strength, it is a sign of weakness. It tells the world that we are willing to sacrifice the very values we once championed for the sake of short-term political gain.

The UK lays claim to a proud history as a trailblazer in the evolution of the torture ban, stretching back centuries. Continental Europe eventually followed Britain’s example. It would be a huge betrayal if the government of today abandoned this tradition and took steps that initiated the ban’s demise.

As someone who has lived without human rights, I cannot overstate the danger. Once rights are lost, it is almost impossible to win them back. Every safeguard we dismantle today will be a gift to those who seek to abuse power tomorrow.

The prime minister says he wants a Britain rooted in dignity and respect. But dignity and respect cannot exist if we destroy the very foundations of the human rights system. They cannot exist if we allow some people, refugees, torture survivors, people fleeing war, to be treated as less than human.

Britain must choose a different path. We must defend the absolute ban on torture, honour our international commitments, and show the world that strength comes not from cruelty but from compassion. Our leaders should stand tall and protect rights for all, not tear them down.

The choice is clear: a Britain that honours its legacy as a defender of dignity and justice, or a Britain that abandons it. I believe we are better than this. And I believe the public will not be fooled.

Kolbassia Haoussou is director of survivor leadership and influencing at Freedom From Torture