Bob Marshall-Andrews, QC and rebel Labour MP, has joined the campaign to elect David Davis in todays Haltemprice and Howden by-election as a means of defending UK domestic human rights. Writing in the Yorkshire Post , he takes a tilt...

That's the verdict given by long-time Westminster-watcher Brian Walker over at Slugger O'Toole , full of choice quotes from the good Lords, but rounded off with this assessment from Walker: "It’s very hard to see how 42 days can...

I came across a fine bit of creative campaigning and locally targetted advertising by pressure group Unlock Democracy (successor of Charter 88). They have taken out wraparound advertising in two local freesheets, East Riding Advertiser...

In Dublin in May, 111 countries agreed to ban cluster bombs. The United States didn't show up for the conference and, according to a report in The Guardian, has now published its response: to reduce the number of unexploded bomblets...

Will Northern Ireland's (non-DUP) Lords help restore Northern Ireland's Westminster reputation when the Government's counter-terrorism Bill comes to the upper house tomorrow? When the government won the vote at the Bill's first reading...

The two-day conference staged by the Human Rights Consortium in Belfast last week was a confident assertion of the continued determination of Northern Ireland civil society to secure a Bill of Rights worthy of the name. The current...

Could Northern Ireland-educated Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, be the next UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ? She certainly seems to be in the running for the world's top human rights job, according to a...

The electorate of Zimbabwe go to the polls today in a presidential election run-off which is two parts tragedy to one part farce. The Queen has stripped Robert Mugabe of his knighthood. Nelson Mandela has condemned the Zimbabwean...

Official figures just published show that the UK became the world's largest arms dealer last year, thanks to a host of export orders agreed with notorious human rights abusing regimes, like Saudi Arabia, Israel and Russia. The UK...

Well done to the Foyle Amnesty International Group for their unveiling this week of a terrific new Human Rights for China campaign painted billboard at 'Free Derry corner', directly behind the city's most famous mural . As the Derry...

President Bush's advance guard has arrived in Belfast in the shape of various security agents and other recce merchants ahead of his announced visit here. The folks in dark glasses who talk into their shirt cuffs have been spotted...

I talked to a Hong Kong Chinese couple who have made their home in Northern Ireland on Wednesday. The conversation took place in Belfast city centre where I was with Amnesty supporters to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square...

While Northern Ireland's Consultative Group on the Past won’t be publishing their report till the summer, yesterday it’s co-chairs, Archbishop Robin Eames and Denis Bradley, set out to trail their findings with a joint keynote speech...

President George Bush will be honouring Belfast with a flying visit next month. The BBC reports that "it is understood that Mr Bush wants to put his seal of approval on devolution." No doubt the President would like to claim a bit of...

Meant to blog this before now, but was reminded to do so yesterday as I witnessed former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern being awarded an honorary doctorate in law by Queen's University Belfast. Tony Blair got one too (by video!), as a tribute...

"Do you know they got rid off the Magna Carta, about six months ago?" – Gore Vidal. I previously blogged on the inestimable Gore Vidal and quoted some of his famous words from down the years. C4 News' Jon Snow interviewed the writer...

I really hate it when people who have not seen a film or play take it upon themelves to comment publicly on it – usually to criticise it in a Mary Whitehouse-style way, slamming the producers and urging others not to see it either. So...

That brilliant American man of letters, Gore Vidal , was featured on the South Bank Show last night. Melvyn Bragg had secured an interview with the great man in his new LA home, after decades of self-imposed exile in Italy. I have...

What are you doing next Wednesday? Earl Wesley Berry will die. Almost certainly. He is scheduled to be executed in Mississippi on May 21 for the murder of Mary Bounds. So Brian, over at the ever-improving Amnesty USA blogs , tells us...

As mentioned yesterday , Israelis are celebrating 60 years since the foundation of their State. Meanwhile, Palestinians have been marking 60 years of 'al Nakba', the catastrophe. The Guardian has a short article here and a good photo...