Threat to opt out of convention played down

Article reports that the (UK) Prime Minister's office was, on 27 January 2003, trying to play down the Prime Minister's threat to opt out of the European Convention on Human Rights, after warnings from legal experts that the Government could face legal challenges to such a move. Following the disclosure that a member of the Taliban was granted asylum in the UK, Government officials are examining the small print of article 3 of the Convention which prevents countries deporting anyone to a country where their lives would be endangered.