Daily Globe British Values, Global Perspective
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This past week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China released a statement in reaction to the British government’s sanctions on certain Chinese individuals and legal entities. The original sanctions by the UK government – in concert with other democratic allies – were a response to the continuing human rights abuses of the Uighur peoples in Xinjiang. The response from Beijing was to target retaliatory sanctions against 4 British entities and 9 individuals.
Among the nine individuals is Lord David Alton, a noted advocate and defender of human rights and dignity. He is also someone the Daily Globe is proud to count as a friend, colleague and contributor.
Lord Alton has been a principled voice for such views and has represented them with authenticity, eloquence and compassion. The articles he has shared on the Daily Globe and elsewhere demonstrate the depth of his commitment. You can read his personal response to being sanctioned by China, here.
The stated mission of the Daily Globe, from its inception, has been to promote values. We say “British values”, but we can expand that to say the values that define the ‘British inheritance’ – a set of rules, laws and conventions that place individuals at the heart of a society, none higher or lower in the eyes of the powerful, and with an inherent right to freedom and dignity. While not perfect, this architecture of governance has nurtured the concept of human rights and equality wherever it has taken root. Indeed, whether it be the end of slavery, or the cause of women’s suffrage, the first manifestations of human progress occurred in jurisdictions that shared this lineage.
We are proud to align with, support and promote those voices that prize dignity of the individual and freedom from persecution. At a time when the voices of tolerance and respect are under constant attack, it is doubly important to stand firmly with those who possess the ability to articulate such a defence, and the courage to see it through.
Co-signed by Ted Yarbrough, co-founder and editor of the Daily Globe.
