COUNCIL OF EUROPE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT SHAMES UK GOVERNMENT

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 8th Jun 2005

Commenting on the report by the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner condemning the UK's record on civil liberties, Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP said:

"One the eve of the UK Presidency of the EU, it is shameful that the Blair government sets such a poor example in its willingness to ditch liberty for a flawed definition of security.

In particular, I am deeply concerned at the failure of leadership to stop demonisation of Muslims in Europe. I am hosting a meeting in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today on 'Islam in Europe' to discuss this issue and have consistently - including in a debate just yesterday - criticised anti-terror laws breaching human rights.

Indeed, it was to oppose detention without trial and control orders that I abandoned Strasbourg and spent a sleep-deprived week voting in the House of Lords a couple of months ago."

ENDS