Roddick slams Tories on human rights record; “they are intent on ensuring Scotland knows its place”

Emma stands in Parliament during a speech

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has attacked the Conservatives on their record of human rights at home and abroad in a debate which took place on the 6th of October on Scotland’s place in the world.

She said:

“Only this morning, the UK Government was successful in overturning a unanimous decision by this Parliament to enshrine the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Scots Law.

“They are so petty that they would rather take human rights away from children than have the Scottish Parliament make the decision to implement them.

“They are so intent on ensuring Scotland knows its place, they don’t care that they are trampling over the lives of kids to do so.”

Roddick highlighted the contrast with the approach of the Scottish Government, noting Scotland’s world-leading human rights legislation on hate crime, discrimination against women, and disability rights.

Referencing a recent ruling which found the UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, had breached human rights by not investigating deaths in immigration detention centres, she added:

“The Tories down south can’t even govern without breaching existing human rights – they certainly cannot be trusted to strengthen them.”