By Sheila Oliver, Romiley Gazette Opinion
There are moments in politics when the air seems to change—when the words spoken in Westminster feel as though they could reach right into the lives of ordinary people.
Last week, Sir Ed Davey’s speech in Parliament defending the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was one of those moments. Calm, eloquent, and rooted in Britain’s liberal traditions, he reminded the country that human rights are not a luxury. They are the bedrock of our democracy—protecting fairness, dignity, and justice for everyone.
But noble words in the Commons are one thing; living by them is another.
Because here in the real world, there are those who have seen what happens when those same principles are conveniently ignored. When I told Hulbert what was being done to poor, sick, innocent Mr Parnell—may he rest in peace—by people who should have known better, there was no outrage, no concern. And those responsible were not some far-right agitators, but Liberal Democrat politicians themselves.
That silence spoke volumes.
Human rights are supposed to protect everyone, not just when it suits the political narrative of the day. It is not enough to quote Churchill and praise the ECHR in speeches if, at the same time, injustices are tolerated within your own ranks.
If we truly believe in the rule of law, fairness, and compassion, then we must apply those standards universally. Otherwise, the fine words in Parliament ring hollow.
The European Convention on Human Rights was a British achievement, born from a promise that “never again” would governments turn their backs on justice and humanity. Leaving it—or undermining it—would indeed be a tragedy. But so too is the quiet hypocrisy of defending it in public while ignoring abuses at home.
Mr Parnell’s story is a reminder of why those protections matter—not in theory, but in the way we treat people every day.
If we truly value human rights, we must defend them without fear or favour.
Not just when it’s politically useful.
Not just for those we like or agree with.
But for everyone.
Only then will the principles so often spoken about in Westminster mean something here in Stockport —and beyond.
