Liberty (pressure group)
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Liberty is a pressure group based in the United Kingdom. It was formerly known as The National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL). This title had been used earlier, in World War I, for an organisation founded as the National Council Against Conscription, which changed its name in 1916. This former organisation may not have lasted longer than until about 1918, and no connection can be assumed.
Liberty was founded in 1934 and campaigns to protect civil liberties and promote human rights. In some cases Liberty also provides legal representation for people where it considers that rights have been breached. The immediate spur to its formation was the 1934 Incitement to Disaffection Act. The first Secretary was Ronald Kidd, and first President E. M. Forster;, Vice-Presidents were the politician and author A. P. Herbert and the journalist Kingsley Martin of the New Statesman.
The structure of Liberty comprises three organisations:
- Liberty - an unincorporated association
- This is the member-based organisation which individuals can join.
- Liberty - the company
- This is the company that employs Liberty staff, leases buildings, etc
- The Civil Liberties Trust
- This is a company and a charity, independent of Liberty
Both the unincorporated association and the company were formerly called the National Council for Civil Liberties.
In 2003 the post of Liberty Director was taken up by Shami Chakrabarti.
Recently, Liberty acted for the whistleblower Katharine Gun who disclosed that the National Security Agency requested the British Government's help in illegal surveillance on the UN. She was prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. The charges were dropped when the prosecution failed to offer any evidence.
Liberty is a supporter of the no2id coalition.
External links
- Official website (http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/)
- Official History (http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/about/history/pdfs/history-of-liberty.pdf)