A speech in which Theresa May laid out her hopes for the future of the country has apparently been deleted from the internet.
The text included commitments to get rid of the Human Rights Act because it restricted the powers of the Government. Ms May had been vocal in her opposition to that law and the human rights conventions that it enforces before taking power, but has in recent months walked back her commitment to scrap the legislation.
She said that the Human Rights act was “interfering with our ability to fight crime and control immigration”.
“When Strasbourg constantly moves the goalposts and prevents the deportation of dangerous men like Abu Qatada, we have to ask ourselves, to what end are we signatories to the Convention?" she said. "Are we really limiting human rights abuses in other countries? I’m sceptical. But are we restricting our ability to act in the national interest?
“So by 2015 we’ll need a plan for dealing with the European Court of Human Rights. And yes, I want to be clear that all options – including leaving the Convention altogether – should be on the table.”
Much of the rest of the speech discussed the same themes that Ms May has brought up since she assumed office. It included a commitment to “reform capitalism” so that it will “work for all of us” and a platform that borrowed much from liberalism.
As such, the speech had served as a key reference point for many commentators looking to understand what policies the new Prime Minister would pursue. Ms May spent six years in the Home Office and gave little comment on other issues such as the economy and foreign affairs, and so the speech was a rare way of examining her views.
It was shared by people as a way of getting “points on her premiership”. Many pointed to her views on the Human Rights Act, industrial policy and the economy – with commentators calling it “illuminating” and “open minded”.
It featured many policies that were later seen in Ms May’s first major speech after taking power, in which she again laid out her vision for the future of the UK.
The speech was originally made in 2013, at a Conservative Home event. It was on the Conservative Home website that the speech was saved – it has now been deleted, but can be read through Google’s cache.
The Independent contacted Conservative Home to comment on why the text had been removed.
