The statement called on the Government for a "full-throated defence" of the ECHR, arguing that it is fundamental to the UK's democracy and enables ordinary citizens to hold the state and public bodies accountable.

The signatories urged politicians to stop using human rights as a "scapegoat," arguing that the ECHR is fundamental to the UK's democracy and protects the rights of ordinary people, enabling them to hold public bodies accountable. 

The joint statement highlights how these protections benefit the public, including providing recourse for victims of sexual violence, ensuring the rights of mental health patients, and delivering justice for victims of major failures like Hillsborough and Windrush.

The statement was organised by human rights organisation Liberty.