Webchat with Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti, Wednesday 8 October, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Shami Chakrabarti has been director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties) since September 2003. She's been described as 'Probably the most effective public affairs lobbyist of the past 20 years' by David Aaronovitch of The Times and 'The most dangerous woman in Britain' by the Sun, and has recently been in the news commenting on The Conservative Party's proposed changes to The Human Rights Act.

Shami's book 'On Liberty' was published last week. Drawing on her own work in high-profile campaigns, from privacy laws to anti-terror legislation, Shami sets out to show what she perceives to be the threats to our democratic institutions, and explains her stance that our rights are paramount in upholding democracy.

We're delighted that Shami is our guest on Mumsnet from 1-2pm on Wednesday, to answer your questions. If you're unable to join us at that time, do post a question in advance to Shami on this thread.

@LoveAndSqualor

Hi Shami, thanks for coming on. I was wondering whether you're getting paid for the book, or whether all proceeds will be going to Liberty?

All proceeds will be going to Liberty.

thanks shami

it's relatively easy for me to get my voice heard and taken seriously in terms of standing up for my rights and those of others

do you have any thoughts about how to encourage and make way for those who often feel or in reality actually are excluded from these discussions?

@UnsureOfOutcome

Hi Shami - wanted to ask about press regulation, as you were on the panel at the Leveson Inquiry. Were you disappointed that the inquiry's recommendations weren't fully implemented?

I think the inquiry did very important work that will stand the test of time. I haven't given up on ethical self-regulation of the robust kind recommended by Sir Brian being established in the future.

Hi Shami, thanks for coming to MN.

I wondered what you think would be the most effective way we who believe in the HRA can advocate for it's not being got rid of with people who don't understand how awful it would be if we do?

@PetulaGordino

thanks shami

it's relatively easy for me to get my voice heard and taken seriously in terms of standing up for my rights and those of others

do you have any thoughts about how to encourage and make way for those who often feel or in reality actually are excluded from these discussions?

Education is key to empowerment - I know it was for me. Political participation and voting is also vital, even when it feels a little uninspiring, but when it comes to rights and freedoms, access to justice is equally essential. Legal aid has been decimated in recent years and that is as dangerous as destroying the NHS, so I would like to hear some political commitments to rebuilding legal aid from all the main parties in advance of next spring's election.

i totally agree about legal aid being destroyed. it's a travesty

@PuffinsAreFicticious

Hi Shami, thanks for coming to MN.

I wondered what you think would be the most effective way we who believe in the HRA can advocate for it's not being got rid of with people who don't understand how awful it would be if we do?

Of course I'm going to encourage you to join Liberty, and to read some of the case studies from our website and in my book. It's a really good start simply to tell people what the different rights and freedoms are. It's so much easier for enemies of human rights to trash so-called 'human rights madness' than to attack the principles of no torture or slavery, liberty, fair trails, personal privacy, freedom of conscience, speech and association, and equal treatment under the law. These are the values protected by the Act and actually shared by most people in this country.

Very quickly. Was the bill Theresa May proposed a snoopers charter as Nick Clegg has just said. Surely we have to consider national security?

@BananaHammock23

Hi Shami ?what do you think about the privacy policies and data use policies of online giants like Google and Facebook?

I don't think any of us read enough of the small-print and I don't think these companies go out of their way to draw our attention to it. I do worry that a whole generation may be experimenting with its online privacy in ways that will be hard to correct in the future. Inevitably, we're going through a learning process. I just worry that a lot of young people may suffer in their careers and intimate lives along the way. It isn't just Big Brother we have to be careful of; we can all be bad little brothers and sisters to each other as well. Human rights aren't just about the State, they are about protecting us from all kinds of abuses of power.

How concerned are you about the abuse of people's right to privacy in the form of television entertainment? I refer to the DNA testing of babies on the Jeremy Kyle show?

@Crumblemum

Very quickly. Was the bill Theresa May proposed a snoopers charter as Nick Clegg has just said. Surely we have to consider national security?

We do have to consider national security, but the answer is not to turn the whole population into a nation of suspects. When they say nothing to hide, nothing to fear, I say the innocent have a great deal to protect. Remember how Doreen Lawrence was spied on by undercover cops who should've been seeking out her son's killers. Targeted surveillance with safeguards is fine, whether online or offline, but a total lack of privacy would mean no intimacy, dignity or trust between human beings. That's no way to live. I know that bad things happen online; very bad things happen in people's homes as well. Would that justify changing the legal and physical architecture of this country so as to put microphones and cameras in everyone's home? If you wouldn't support that you shouldn't support the Snooper's Charter either.

@jonicomelately

How concerned are you about the abuse of people's right to privacy in the form of television entertainment? I refer to the DNA testing of babies on the Jeremy Kyle show?

No doubt people are agreeing to give up their privacy, either to go on TV or to seek parental responsibility, or both. They might, however, want to reflect on how their children will view these decisions years into the future.

Thanks to everyone for such interesting and important questions. I hope some people may be tempted to find out more about Liberty, the HRA, and possibly even have a look at my book, On Liberty.

Thanks for answering my question! And for the webchat in general - it was really interesting

Thank you Shami for coming on. I agree UnsureofOutcome, it was really interesting. I'm also glad you don't suffer a great deal of online harassment. We need all the women's voices we can get and yours is a great one to have .

Shami, thank you for answering questions so clearly abd systematically without cherry picking, like many other guests.

@Osmiornica

Oh no, another web chat missed :( These aren't advertised very well at all.

Oh dear. Sorry about that. How would you like to be notified about webchats?

Justine, I didn't see this one on top of Active, only FWR. I may have missed it though.

quite a lot of people automatically hide the sticky threads, that may make a difference?