Liberty is a pressure group based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1934 by Ronald Kidd and Sylvia Crowther-Smith (later Scaffardi) ^[1], it campaigns to protect civil liberties and promote human rights. In some cases Liberty also provides legal representation for people where it considers that rights have been breached. An advocacy group, interest group or lobbying group is a group, however loosely or tightly organized, doing advocacy: those determined to encourage or prevent changes in public policy without trying to be elected. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that protect the individual from government. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ...

The immediate spur to its formation was the 1934 Incitement to Disaffection Act. The first Secretary was Ronald Kidd, and first President E. M. Forster; Vice-Presidents were the politician and author A. P. Herbert and the journalist Kingsley Martin of the New Statesman. Its current director is Shami Chakrabarti. British Law. ... Edward Morgan Forster, OM (January 1, 1879 – June 7, 1970), was an English novelist, short story writer, and essayist. ... Sir Alan Patrick Herbert (September 24, 1890 - November 11, 1971) was a British humorist, Member of Parliament, barrister, and novelist. ... Kingsley Martin (1897–1969) was a British journalist who edited the left-leaning political magazine the New Statesman for thirty years, from 1930 to 1960. ... The New Statesman is a left-of-centre political weekly published in London. ... Shami Chakrabarti CBE (born in London, June 16, 1969) has been the director of Liberty, a British pressure group, since September 2003. ...

Liberty was adopted as the working name of the The National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) ^[2]. This title had been used earlier, in World War I, for an organisation founded as the National Council Against Conscription, which changed its name in 1916. This former organisation may not have lasted longer than until about 1918, and no connection can be assumed. “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

The structure of Liberty comprises three organisations:

• Liberty - an unincorporated association
  • This is the member-based organisation which individuals can join.
• Liberty - the company
  • This is the company that employs Liberty staff, leases buildings, etc
• The Civil Liberties Trust
  • This is a company and a charity, independent of Liberty

In 2003 the post of Liberty Director was taken up by Shami Chakrabarti. A charitable organization (also known as a charity) is a trust, company or unincorporated association established for charitable purposes only. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shami Chakrabarti CBE (born in London, June 16, 1969) has been the director of Liberty, a British pressure group, since September 2003. ...

Recently, Liberty acted for the whistleblower Katharine Gun who claimed that the American National Security Agency had requested the British Government's help in illegal surveillance on the UN. She was prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. The charges were dropped when the prosecution failed to offer any evidence. A whistleblower s an employee, former employee, or member of an organization, especially a business or government agency, who reports misconduct to people or entities that have the power and presumed willingness to take corrective action. ... Katharine Teresa Gun (born 1974) is a former employee of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British intelligence agency. ... “NSA” redirects here. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... Official Secrets Act warning sign, Foulness. ...

Liberty is a supporter of the NO2ID coalition. The NO2ID coalition was formed in 2004 to campaign against the United Kingdom governments plans to introduce UK ID Cards and the associated National Identity Register. ...

See also

• Hall-Carpenter archives

Hall-Carpenter Archives logo The Hall-Carpenter Archives are named after the authors Marguerite Radclyffe Hall (1880-1943) and Edward Carpenter (1844-1929). ...

References

1. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=qps14mSlghcC&pg=PA373&lpg=PA373&dq=ronald+kidd+scaffardi&source=web&ots=2hcIL6FGUa&sig=be6l1WnH6YaqmyjeqnedVxhIYE4#PPA373,M1
2. ^ http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/news-and-events/2-agm/liberty-constitution-amended-2006.pdf

External links

• Official website
• Official History