Party leaders Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have responded to a letter sent by UNA-UK and other civil society organisations calling for UK Government commitment to the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and atrocity prevention.
The joint letter called on the UK Government to develop "a coherent cross-governmental strategy that places atrocity prevention squarely on the agenda as a goal of stabilisation and conflict prevention." Party leaders were also urged to show commitment to the principle of R2P in the lead up to the general election.
Click here to read the letter to party leaders
In his letter of reply, leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband MP affirmed that a "cross-Whitehall approach will be taken to preventing genocide and mass atrocity will be priority with a focus on early warning and prevention." He went on to assure that the Government's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund would be reviewed in order to ensure that UK aid contributions are not being misspent.
Also responding to the civil society letter, leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg MP expressed support for "long-term preventative measures" and "a more proactive approach" in tackling security challenges. He echoed UNA-UK's consistent message that atrocity prevention is not only a national interest, "but a goal that reflects the UK's humanitarian values too."
Mr Clegg reinforced his party's "strong support for the principle of the Responsibility to Protect", recognising the doctrine's third pillar that the "international community has to act when a state fails to protect its own people."
Click here to read more about the Responsibility to Protect
While UNA-UK commends Mr Clegg and Mr Miliband for affirming their parties' commitment to atrocity prevention, we are disappointed that the Labour leader made no mention of the Responsibility to Protect in his letter. We will continue to urge the UK Government to declare support for the emerging norm of R2P in their pre-election campaigns.
Click on the links below to read the letters of reply from Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg.
Updates
14 April 2015
The Conservative Party has also responded to the joint civil soceity letter. Writing on behalf of the Prime Minister, Ms Abigail Green, Political Correspondance Manager, stated that the reader should be "assured of the Prime Minister's commitment to human rights and that he takes preventing acts of violence against civilians extremely seriously."
You can read the Conservative Party's response in the link below.
27 April 2015
UNA-UK received a response to the joint civil society letter from Ms Nicola Sturgeon, MSP, Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP). She stated that the "SNP Support the international principle of the Responsibility to Protect" and would "act to encourage UK Governments to honour it at all times". The statement continues to say that "[t]he SNP continues to stand up for human rights, protecting vulnerable people and supporting humanitarian values, and we would urge all future UK Government's to take action and measures that would work towards the prevention [of] atrocities worldwide".
