UK Human Rights Blog surpasses two million hits
4 March 2013
Just a quick note to say that yesterday, in the furore surrounding the Conservative Party potentially threatening to take the UK out of the European Court of Human Rights and Angela Patrick’s post on secret trials, the UK Human Rights Blog surpassed an all-time total of two million hits.
The blog was launched on 31 March 2010 and is written by members of 1 Crown Office Row barristers’ Chambers. It is now attracting around 100,000 page views per month and has thousands of subscribers across email, Facebook and Twitter. If you haven’t already, you can subscribe for free by email, Twitter or Facebook – more details here.
I am glad that we crossed the threshold with the two posts mentioned above, as both are representative of the kind of features which I think epitomise the purpose of the Blog: to provide a clear, non-hysterical (we hope) and accessible view into the complex world of UK human rights law. I am proud of the influence the Blog now has in the debate, and I hope it is generally positive.
Thank you as always to my co-editors Rosalind English and Angus McCullough QC, as well as the fantastic and wide ranging group of authors, commenters and readers. As is traditional, below is the up to date list of our all time best read posts:
UK Human Rights Blog All Time Top 20
Reblogged this on Huw Sayer and commented:
Excellent – glad to see more people are paying attention to these vitally important issues.
Today I have emailed my MP protesting against proposals for Secret Courts, urging him not to support calls for the repeal of the Human Rights act, and calling on him to reject the Lords’ amendment to the Libel Reform bill in favour of the original version approved by the House of Commons.
Following a suggestion from friendly twitter chap Richard Ellis, I have also emailed my local district and county councillors as follows (you can do the same – the more pressure points the better):
I know that local councillors are not responsible for the actions of MPs and Lords. However, please may I ask you (as my local councillors) to put pressure on your party colleagues (present and former) in parliament, particularly those in government:
a) to reject Ken Clarke’s illiberal proposals for unjust secret courts
b) to listen to Dominic Grieves when it comes to reform of the Human Rights Act and to reject Chris Graylings apparent idea that we should repeal it outright
c) to reject the latest Lord’s amendment to the Libel Reform bill (introducing Leveson by the back door without proper debate) and ensure the bill passes in the form originally approved by the House of Commons.
I will be paying particular attention to all these issues.
I am not sure what they will make of this letter but it is worth a try – if only to make the point that, if they want my vote they are going to have to adopt a more liberal attitude.
Happy days
@HuwSayer
Congratulations and very appropriate at a time when the UK’s relationship with human rights a law is under intense pressure from an autocratic government. Keep up the good work.
You are a fantastic voice of reason and compassion in a time of increasing barbarism. Keep up the good work. — Raphael
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The best legal journalism is now to be found on the net. Huge congrats for your commitment to unbiased comment and making the law more accessible.
What good news it is to see so many people interested in the good and proper reporting and discussion of UK and European Human Rights law !