Hadyn Ellis distinguished lecture

Shami Chakrabarti, the Director of the human rights and civil liberties organisation Liberty, came to the University on 13 November to deliver the annual Hadyn Ellis lecture. Shami has just published a book called On Liberty, which was also the title of her lecture. She made a witty, passionate and highly effective defence of the critical importance of protecting fundamental human rights – not just citizens’ rights – if we are to maintain the freedoms that underpin democracy. The warmth of the audience reaction was palpable, and the length of the queues at the book-signing afterwards testament both to Shami’s personal popularity and to her consummate command of these critical issues. She is a great role-model — as was very apparent from my conversation with a sixth-former beforehand — and a superb public advocate for people unable to represent themselves. This is critical because there aren’t many people who could be so articulate on issues that are frequently neither glamorous nor easily explained. Shami encouraged the audience both to buy the book, the proceeds of which go to Liberty, and to join (Liberty is a membership organisation). At the end of the lecture I made the same plea, though am told I accidentally urged them to join Amnesty (which of course they are very welcome to do). I’m sure they got the point though; and I’ve bought the book and joined Liberty myself, which should leave no room for doubt.