18th December 2022

Mr Buckland,

I am writing to you to express concern about the Bill of Rights Bill, and to ask that you oppose it.

Human rights are currently for all. That is important, a tenet of equality and respect, providing safety, protection, and access to justice. The Bill of Rights Bill would destroy this, granting rights for some and not for others. Rights should not be a privilege. Rights for some serves a system of inequality served by increasingly hostile, authoritarian governance.

The Human Rights Act helps ensure accountability by legislating that public authorities uphold and respect human rights. This prevents abuse of power and position, and provides means to rectify where authorities fail to act properly. The Bill of Rights Bill would weaken this mechanism by weakening the power of courts, negatively impacting people's rights. According to NFP Research, 76% of the public indicated that people must be able to hold the government accountable for its actions.

The Bill of Rights Bill would make access to justice more difficult. Those unable to access justice in British Courts may go to the European Court of Human Rights. However this is a longer and more expensive process only open to those who can afford it. So the Bill of Rights Bill would create inequality and hinder justice.

According to polling by NFP Research, 77% of the public want equal rights. So why is the government even considering this bill? Considered in context with other legislation, the government seem to be seeking to subvert democracy and accountability to serve private interests over the public's. If that is the case, it is corruption and a fundamental abuse of power.

The government shelved the Bill of Rights Bill in September this year. It is noted that you commented about the unsuitability of the bill regarding the "politicising of the courts". However you fail to mention the other points outlined in this email, which detail the fundamental unsuitability of, and lack of need for, this bill.

Let's connect human rights with plastic pollution: Several bills and acts of parliament seek to remove the rights and ability to oppose government policies. Trade deals and The Energy Charter Treaty further hinder opposition by serving corporate interests over the public's. The government's connections to the oil industry is noted, including the numerous wars and coups that it has participated in. Our concerns are that the government is putting in place measures that will stop people being able to deal with plastic pollution, as well as the other social and environmental maladies inherent to the system of oppression of which the government is part.

So we ask that you oppose the Bill of Rights Bill. There is no public mandate for it, and it wouldn't serve the public good. Indeed the attempt to remove fundamental human rights is a breach of those rights.

Sincerely,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

19th December 2022

Dear Ben,

I am opposed to the Bill of Rights in its current form and have written extensively about my opposition to it.

Best wishes,

Robert Buckland MP

Mr Buckland.

Thanks for responding.

Can you point me towards / provide that extensive information please?

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

19th December 2022

Dear Ben,

I have written about it in the Telegraph, but that may be behind a paywall. I have also spoken about it in podcasts such as the Politics Home podcast, the Telegraph podcast and others.

Best wishes,

Robert Buckland MP

20th December 2022

Mr Buckland,

I've read your articles in the Telegraph. They don't address the points laid out in the first email of this thread. Please respond to those points.

Thanks,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

20th December 2022

Dear Ben,,

Many thanks for emailing me about this – I agree that the Bill is unnecessary, having in the past described it as a solution in search of a problem. I believe existing legislation is by and large effective but could do with updating, but not in the ways proposed.

Best wishes,

Robert Buckland MP

18th December 2022

Mr Tomlinson,

I am writing to you to express concern about the Bill of Rights Bill, and to ask that you oppose it.

Human rights are currently for all. That is important, a tenet of equality and respect, providing safety, protection, and access to justice. The Bill of Rights Bill would destroy this, granting rights for some and not for others. Rights should not be a privilege. Rights for some serves a system of inequality served by increasingly hostile, authoritarian governance.

The Human Rights Act helps ensure accountability by legislating that public authorities uphold and respect human rights. This prevents abuse of power and position, and provides means to rectify where authorities fail to act properly. The Bill of Rights Bill would weaken this mechanism by weakening the power of courts, negatively impacting people's rights. According to NFP Research, 76% of the public indicated that people must be able to hold the government accountable for its actions.

The Bill of Rights Bill would make access to justice more difficult. Those unable to access justice in British Courts may go to the European Court of Human Rights. However this is a longer and more expensive process only open to those who can afford it. So the Bill of Rights Bill would create inequality and hinder justice.

According to polling by NFP Research, 77% of the public want equal rights. So why is the government even considering this bill? Considered in context with other legislation, the government seem to be seeking to subvert democracy and accountability to serve private interests over the public's. If that is the case, it is corruption and a fundamental abuse of power.

The government shelved the Bill of Rights Bill in September this year. Your colleague, Robert Buckland, commented about the unsuitability of the bill regarding the "politicising of the courts". However he failed to mention the other points outlined in this email, which detail the fundamental unsuitability of, and lack of need for, this bill.

Let's connect human rights with plastic pollution: Several bills and acts of parliament seek to remove the rights and ability to oppose government policies. Trade deals and The Energy Charter Treaty further hinder opposition by serving corporate interests over the public's. The government's connections to the oil industry is noted, including the numerous wars and coups that it has participated in. Our concerns are that the government is putting in place measures that will stop people being able to deal with plastic pollution, as well as the other social and environmental maladies inherent to the system of oppression of which the government is part.

So we ask that you oppose the Bill of Rights Bill. There is no public mandate for it, and it wouldn't serve the public good. Indeed the attempt to remove fundamental human rights is a breach of those rights.

Sincerely,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

19th December 2022

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your email.

As a South Swindon resident your MP is Robert Buckland who I am sure will be happy to discuss this with you.

Kind regards,

Justin Tomlinson MP

19th December 2022

Mr Tomlinson,

We've had this discussion before. Plastic Free Swindon is Swindon-wide. We work in north and south Swindon. We have members who live in north Swindon. If you don't want to answer, that's your choice. It's not imperative.

Sincerely,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

19th December 2022

Dear Ben,

Yes and it hasn’t changed. You are a resident of South Swindon - due to Parliamentary protocol it is Robert who would assist you.

Kind regards,

Justin Tomlinson MP

19th December 2022

Mr Tomlinson,

I reiterate, we are a Swindon-wide organisation. Parliamentary protocol doesn't prevent you from responding. You choose not to reply.

Regarding your use of language: I am writing to you about the government's attempts to remove human rights. Along with other legislation that seeks to quash opposition to government policies, this has been described as a power grab by Liberty, the human rights organisation. I would describe the government's direction as steps towards fascism / totalitarianism. The government already openly support human rights abuses. Yemen and Palestine are but 2 examples. If the government are successful in removing human rights, will I be one of those who is imprisoned, perhaps tortured, for daring to oppose the government? Yet you write "Dear Ben" and "kind regards". Please, enough with the empty platitudes. I write "Mr Tomlinson" and "Sincerely", because, considering what you / the government has done and is trying to do, it's the best I can do to be polite.

I recently heard about a group of 4 Swindon people who were arrested by the police. 3 of them were grandparents, the other a parent. Due to the lack of adequate government action to protect us all from global warming / mass extinction / pollution, these people are desperate to protect the planet for their children and grandchildren. They were subsequently arrested and taken to court for daring to do so. Are these parents and grandparents "extremists" who should have their rights taken away, Mr Tomlinson? But you can't answer, apparently. The truth is that you can but choose not to. The government doesn't support people, it supports profit and power.

Sincerely,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

19th December 2022

Dear Ben,

No that is Parliamentary protocol.

I represent 84,395 people and only have the physical time and resources to support them, it would be unfair on them to start seeking to represent people outside of my constituency.

Kind regards,

Justin Tomlinson MP

19th December 2022

Mr Tomlinson,

Our work is in your constituency, undertaken by people from your constituency, affecting people and animals who live in your constituency... but you don't have time to support or respond to the organisation from which this good work in your constituency emanates because I live in south Swindon. As I said, your choice.

Sincerely,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

19th December 2022

No - you are just wanting to wish away Parliamentary protocols, which I am afraid you can't. You cannot jump ahead of my actual residents.

Robert will be more than happy to help you should you need it.

Kind regards,

Justin Tomlinson MP

20th December 2022

Mr Tomlinson,

In 2019, you wrote the following to me: "“Thank you for the work you are doing in this important area. Happy to meet you post election to discuss ongoing works / campaigns, should I be re-elected.” But apparently now you can't meet with us because "you cannot jump ahead of my actual residents". Which is it?

Additionally you used to correspond with and meet SCAN, including members who lived in south Swindon.

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator

20th December 2022

Dear Ben,

Yes, I worked with SCAN on a number of issues I have been working with on in Parliament, as well as other related organisations. Therefore I asked for those meetings.

I hadn’t realised you were a South Swindon resident when I offered to meet. You wish to discuss the introduction of the British Bill of Rights, that is something you would need to take up with your MP.

This is both Parliamentary protocol and rightly I must prioritise my residents, you already have an MP of your own – an excellent one at that.

Justin Tomlinson MP

20th December 2022

Mr Tomlinson,

SCAN met with you to discuss issues that they put forward. I know because I was a member of SCAN. So, what you've described is not accurate.

Regarding your offer before the 2019 election to meet with Plastic Free Swindon, you didn''t ask whether I was a resident yet you now say that it's of the utmost importance.

The first email in this thread explains the connection between plastic pollution and the Bill of Rights Bill. Hence we contact you as an organisation that works in, and has members in, your constituency to convey concerns and ask for a response.

Parliamentary protocol doesn't stop you responding, as is demonstrated from meetings with SCAN. So it seems to me that you don't want to respond. Given the points raised, who can blame you? Corruption, subversion of democracy, attempting to remove human rights...

Sincerely,

Ben Bell
Plastic Free Swindon co-ordinator