My country feels unmoored since the EU referendum decision. Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his resignation, the main political parties are internally divided, the markets volatile. What will happen next is unclear and people are anxious about the future.
After a divisive contest in which curbing immigration and “taking back the country” were major themes for those leading the “Leave” campaign, the UK has seen a worrying rash of xenophobic incidents against ethnic and religious minorities and those perceived as citizens from other EU countries. It is vital that those incidents are met with firm political condemnation, as David Cameron and London’s mayor have done, and an effective police response. And it is pivotal to do more to prevent such attacks.
In uncertain times like these, human rights are more important than ever. The government must fully enforce rights such as equality under the law, and protection from discrimination and violence. Protecting these rights will help to ensure that whatever way the UK moves forward, it will do so in a way that is consistent with its values.
