- Value [1] Civil Liberties
- National Security and British values -- The UK has a proud tradition of protecting its citizens, promoting civil liberties
and upholding the rule of law. For 800 years, the UK has been at the forefront of shaping the relationship between the rights
of individuals and the powers and obligations of the state.
- Value [2] Rule of Law
- Value [3] Security
- At the same time, we need security to protect the freedoms we hold dear. Security and freedom should be reinforcing. Both
form part of our national interest. National security is about protecting our people - including their rights and liberties
- as well as protecting our democratic institutions and traditions.
- Value [4] Freedom
- Value [5] Democratic Institutions
- Value [6] Balance
- To protect the security and freedom of many, the state sometimes has to encroach on the liberties of a few: those who threaten
us. We must strike the right balance in doing this, acting proportionately, with due process and with appropriate democratic
oversight.
- Value [7] Due Process
- Value [8] Democratic Oversight
- Value [9] Secrecy
- Our security and intelligence agencies play a vital role in protecting our country from threats to our way of life. It is
inherent in their work that most of it has to be done in secret to protect those who risk their lives for our security, and
to maintain the confidence and cooperation of partners overseas. For the same reasons the exercise of oversight, whether by
Parliament or through the courts, also has to involve a measure of secrecy. Here too we must strike a balance, between the
transparency that accountability normally entails, and the secrecy that security demands. Protecting our security requires
us to work with countries who do not share our values and standards of criminal justice. In working with them to protect our
country from terrorist attacks and other threats we do not compromise on our values. We speak out against abuses and use our
own conduct as an example. But we have to strike a balance between public condemnation of any deviation from our values and
the need to protect our security through international cooperation. Striking these balances is not always straightforward,
and reasonable people can differ on how to do it. In recent years it has not proved easy to ind this balance in some cases.
So next year, we will publish a Green Paper seeking views on a range of options, designed to enable the courts and other oversight
bodies to scrutinise modern day national security actions effectively without compromising our security in the process.
- Value [10] Confidence
- Value [11] Cooperation
- Value [12] Partnership
- Value [13] Risk Mitigation
- But our core values are not open to question. In July 2010, we published consolidated guidance for the use of intelligence
and service personnel on the detention and interviewing of detainees oversees. That guidance makes clear, in particular, that
such personnel must never take any action where they know or believe torture will occur. They must also report other concerns
and take steps to mitigate risks. They report any abuses and take action where they can to stop it. Acting on our values in
this way is central to our approach to national security. As the Foreign Secretary has said, "we cannot achieve long-term
security and prosperity unless we uphold our values."
|
