TEARING into the Human Rights Act and the so-called 'compensation culture' may be a populist move for the Conservative Party.

In the more privileged and prosperous sections of the nation these are deemed to be serious political issues.

However, for the vast majority of the public they are peripheral issues.

Health, education and the economy will feature heavily when ordinary people decide how they will vote in the General Election. The Human Rights Act will not figure prominently in their thoughts.

Earlier this month Michael Howard pandered to extreme opinion in his portrayal of a country ridden by crime.

Now David Davis is responding to similar prejudices surrounding the Human Rights Act.

He cites the example of how serial killer Dennis Nilsen has exploited the legislation to receive hardcore pornography in jail.

And he highlights the pressure placed on public services in investigating claims for compensation.

The truth is that there is no evidence that the Human Rights Act has added to the workload of the British courts. Indeed there is every indication that it has streamlined the legal process by giving access to redress in the British courts rather than the painstaking route through the European courts.

The prospect, raised by Mr Davis, of making public services immune from compensation claims is alarming. There should be no discrimination between the private and public sector.

We see little merit in convening a commission to examine the Human Rights Act.

The Conservatives will be better advised to turn their attention to tackling real issues rather than perpetuating myths.