U.K. Tories take on the Gypsy problem at last

The Conservative party today announced a seven-pronged attack on sites illegally occupied by Travellers. Trespass by Travellers on private land would become a criminal offence and Britain would consider scrapping human rights legislation under a Tory government, the Conservative leader said. Michael Howard, although acknowledging that many Travellers lived within the law, said a minority abused the planning system. “If you are a Traveller you can build anywhere you like,” he said. “That is not fair. That is one reason why we are reviewing the Human Rights Act. If it cannot be improved, we will scrap it. ‘I have my rights’ has become the verbal equivalent to putting two fingers up at authority.”

The Tories also want to give councils new powers to ensure the quick removal of caravans from illegal sites and give them the ability to use compulsory purchase orders to stop land being bought by Travellers. A Conservative government would encourage police to use their powers to deal with trespass by Travellers and to tackle criminal or anti-social behaviour on Traveller sites. The Tories also oppose the imposition of central or regional quotas on councils to provide Traveller camps and want to give local people more say on where Travellers should go.

Critics of the present system say article eight of the European Convention on Human Rights - that everyone has the right to respect for his or her private and family life - has been used by Travellers to prevent them being evicted. “It is nothing to do with race,” Mr Howard said. “It is about standing up for the right values and common sense and making sure people abide by the law.”

Mr Howard’s new policy comes amid growing furore about Travellers illegally occupying land and installing facilities such as water and electricity before applying for retrospective planning permission. Labour yesterday accused the Tories of tapping into bigotry against Gypsies. The shadow defence minister, Gerald Howarth, who reportedly joked about a friend who is “as black as the ace of spades”, today denied his remarks were in any way racist, but said he was sorry if anyone had taken offence. Mr Howarth, MP for Aldershot, reportedly made the remark during a private dinner at the spring conference for the right-wing Freedom Association.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Posted by jonjayray on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at 06:15 AM in British Politics
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