Human rights activists 'childish'

Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti defended the human rights group

Human rights campaigners in Britain have been branded childish by a former general secretary of Liberty.

Andrew Puddephat said they attacked government attempts to deal with crime without considering members of the public who the laws are trying to help.

He likened them to a three-year-old child who refuses all offers of food without saying what it wants.

Shami Chakrabarti, Liberty's director, said some people wanted the group to "pipe down", which she would not allow.

'Saying no'

Mr Puddephat's comments come as Liberty holds its annual general meeting.

He suggested campaigners' emphasis was too strongly on opposing Government plans which often aimed to protect the most vulnerable.

We are reacting to these terrible broadsides on things like the presumption of innocence Shami Chakrabarti Hear their comments on the Today programme

"Sometimes the human rights movement is like my daughter when she was three years old," he said.

"I tried to offer her tea and she just kept saying no to every option without ever telling me what it was she did want."

Mr Puddephat told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the poor, young and old all suffered from crime and anti-social behaviour.

'Precious rights'

"The human rights movement often appears to be understandably concerned with the Government's abuses of its power and its authority in dealing with these problems," he said.

"It does not seem to be addressing, in public anyway, the concerns people have about the nature of these problems."

Ms Chakrabarti said the current erosion of "precious, precious human rights" meant there was a danger campaigns alienated some people.

She said: "Sometimes we do get pushed into that because we are reacting to these terrible broadsides on things like the presumption of innocence."

Ms Chakrabarti said criticism often came because people wanted the organisation to "dilute the message", she said. "Yes human rights are universal. Yes they are not just about the defendant but they are about the defendant too.

"And I think some people at the moment want Liberty, frankly, just to pipe down and that may happen one day but I'm afraid not on my watch."