01/03/2023
How democracy was put under threat during the Pandemic
Wednesday 1st March, 8-9pm, University Arms
Join Human Rights barrister, Adam Wagner for a truly shocking account of how our freedoms were more severely restricted than ever before in peacetime.
“A riveting account of how our democracy was put under threat.. and why we must never let the Emergency State take over again” – Lady Brenda Hale
On 26 March 2020, a new law appeared. In just 11 pages, it locked down tens of millions of people, confined us to our homes, banned socialising, closed shops, gyms, pubs, places of worship. It restricted our freedoms more than any other law in history, justified by the rapid spread of a deadly new virus.
A state of emergency was declared. Laws came into force with the stroke of a minister’s pen, without any parliamentary debate. It was supposed to be short but it lasted 763 days, allowing the government to bring in, by decree, over 100 new laws – only 9 approved in advance by Parliament. Meanwhile, behind the doors of Downing Street, officials and even the Prime Minister broke the very laws they had created.
Tickets can be purchased at www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com