They are the “tools to do the job” says the International Committee of the Red Cross, the vital legal protections it needs to work in deadly conflict zones, adopted in the United States as long ago as 1988, in France in 2003 — and now, finally, in the United Kingdom.
Legislation put forward by the new Labour government will grant the ICRC and its staff legal immunity, guarantee its property, and prevent the disclosure of confidential information held by the U.K. government in civil legal proceedings.
It has become a “matter of urgency” to act, in the words of one supportive member of parliament, who told Parliament that the U.K.’s courts have been used to try to force the ICRC to reveal sensitive aspects of its work 20 times in the last 15 years.
About the author
Rob Merrick
Rob Merrick is the U.K. Correspondent for Devex, covering FCDO and British aid. He reported on all the key events in British politics of the past 25 years from Westminster, including the financial crash, the Brexit fallout, the "Partygate" scandal, and the departures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Rob has worked for The Independent and the Press Association and is a regular commentator on TV and radio. He can be reached at rob.merrick@devex.com.
