'Expect the worst from Tories. They want to join Russia and Belarus as the only countries outside the ECHR.'
A number of Tories, including a senior cabinet minister, have threatened to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) at the next election, if the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda continues to be blocked.
Senior Tories, including Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, are said to be furious at the European court for blocking flights taking off last year. It’s also worth pointing out that in June the Court of Appeal also concluded by a majority of two to one that Rwanda could not be treated as a safe third country, while concerns have been raised the UK’s policy breaks international law.
Nonetheless, the Tories have threatened to leave the ECHR, with Jenrick not ruling out withdrawing from the convention, telling Times Radio the government would do “whatever is necessary ultimately to defend our borders”.
Asked whether that could mean leaving the ECHR, he said: “We will do whatever is required, take whatever necessary action is needed.”
It’s worth remembering that the ECHR was established in 1950 by a number of countries including the UK.
The Tories also seem not to care about the fact that the ECHR provides the basis for the Good Friday Agreement and the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Convention rights run through the Good Friday agreement. Under the Good Friday agreement, the ECHR underpins human rights guarantees in Northern Ireland.
Reacting to the news of Tory threats to leave the ECHR, LFF columnist Prem Sikka tweeted: “Tories could campaign to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if Rwanda human trafficking flights blocked.
“Expect the worse from Tories. They want to join Russia and Belarus as the only countries outside the ECHR.
“UK drafted the ECHR.”
Tory MP Bob Neill told the BBC that the suggestion of leaving the ECHR was a ‘completely foolish idea & absolutely wrong… we’d be in the same company as Russia & Belarus, the only other 2 European countries which are not members of the council of Europe’.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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