Business as Usual

It should have come as no surprise that it was business as usual in the courts on 2 October. There was no revolution for the very good reason that in England and the English courts there is nothing revolutionary about respect, indeed reverence, for human rights. The incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into English statute law has not resulted in the emancipation of slaves throughout the land or the wholesale closure of torture chambers; orators are not flocking to Speakers’ Corner to exercise their new found freedom of speech and religious cults have not had a flood of new adherents who have shaken off the shackles of compulsory membership of the Church of England. There may have been rejoicing by some litigants in person at the prospect of having fair trials, but they will be disappointed to discern no noticeable difference from what they were getting before.