Commonwealth decriminalisation at Parliament

14 May 2026 · Houses of Parliament · Human-rights reception

Olivia Campbell-Cavendish joined the Last Chance for Love parliamentary reception, hosted by Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago human-rights defender Jason Jones. The reception focused on the continuing criminalisation of homosexuality in parts of the Commonwealth and the litigation seeking to challenge colonial-era laws.

The issue is both constitutional and practical. Laws inherited from British rule continue to expose people to criminal sanction, stigma and exclusion, while final appeals from several Commonwealth jurisdictions remain connected to institutions in London. The reception placed a current appellate challenge within that continuing legal relationship and the wider question of responsibility for colonial legislation.