The TUC has warned that the Tory plan to withdraw from the (ECHR) ‘isn’t about migration, it’s about dismantling the legal protections that ordinary people rely on every day’.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned that the Tories’ plan to leave the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) will undermine and undo workers’ rights.
While Tory leader Kemi Badenoch announced this week that her party would take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights if it wins the next election, more voters prefer the UK to remain a member of the ECHR than those who wish to leave it, a new poll has found.
The poll, carried out by YouGov, found that Britons want to remain a member of the ECHR by 46%, compared to 29% who prefer to withdraw.
The Conservative Party claims that staying in the ECHR blocks migration reform and is being used to obstruct efforts to deport foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.
However, Badenoch has been criticised for her proposals which seek to mimic those being put forward by Reform UK, with the Prime Minister previously warning that leaving the ECHR would put the country in the same “camp” as Russia and Belarus.
Now the TUC has warned that the Tory plan to withdraw from the (ECHR) ‘isn’t about migration, it’s about dismantling the legal protections that ordinary people rely on every day’.
It said in a statement:
“The ECHR underpins many of the rights that protect workers in the UK. Through its incorporation into domestic law via the Human Rights Act, it guarantees key workers’ rights principles like:
The prohibition of slavery and forced labour
The right to a fair trial
The right to privacy and family life
Freedom of association (including the right to join a union)
Protection from discrimination
“These aren’t abstract legal concepts. They’re the foundation of rights that trade unions and working people have fought for and won over decades. From defending workers against intrusive surveillance at work, from discrimination because of sexual orientation, and protecting workers against modern slavery, the ECHR has been a crucial tool in holding employers and the state to account.”
The TUC also highlighted how leaving the ECHR would cause reputational damage to the UK. It went on to add: “Leaving the ECHR echoes the worst instincts of the populist right: scapegoating international institutions and disregarding the rule of law. If the UK leaves the ECHR, it would join Russia and Belarus as the only European countries outside the Convention. That’s not the company we should be keeping.
“Leaving the ECHR would be a threat to stability on the island of Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement is underpinned by UK membership of the ECHR. It was a historic achievement, with trade unions having played a critical role in their support. Commitment to internationally-agreed human rights standards has cross-community importance and is integral to ensuring lasting peace. This is an achievement we should be proud of, not seek to undermine.
“Leaving the ECHR would strip away access to justice and leave workers more vulnerable to exploitation, discrimination, and abuse.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.