Dear John,

Lockdown is hard at the best of times – but made worse by the Government’s relentless focus on criminal enforcement. 

Confusing messaging from the very top means neither the public nor police are sure what is and isn’t lawful.

Last week Derbyshire Police fined two women who drove five miles to go for a walk. Government guidance says to stay local, but there’s no law against travelling for exercise – and the police don’t have the power to enforce guidance.

This didn’t stop Government ministers backing the force’s actions, however. 

But just a few days later when the Prime Minister was pictured on a bike ride seven miles from home, the Government insisted it was lawful. This time they were right, but a little consistency and clarity in a pandemic shouldn’t be too much to ask for.

A new approach

Woeful communication and an emphasis on criminal punishment is a recipe for injustice. So far, more than 30,000 people have been fined for breaking lockdown rules. And in some areas police are almost seven times more likely to fine people of colour than white people.

You can’t police your way out of a pandemic. We need a new approach that makes sure everyone is protected during this public health crisis. 

That means making sure no child goes hungry, providing safe accommodation for everyone, properly funding social care, ending the hostile environment, providing full pay for sick and isolating workers, lowering the prison population, and ensuring welfare is available for everyone in need.

The public has shown enormous willingness to change how we live to protect each other. Liberty is fighting for a pandemic response that supports us all to do that.

Save your rights

And defending people’s basic rights has never been more important. The Government’s ‘review’ of the Human Rights Act is now underway. 

For 20 years, the Human Rights Act has protected your rights to protest and pray, to think what you like and say what you think, and to keep your private life private. It protects all of us, all the time. It must not be weakened. 

Liberty will, of course, be providing evidence to the panel. If you haven’t already, join the campaign to save your rights today.

Thank you for your support

Sam Grant
Head of Policy and Campaigns

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