Oz and Canada are proof we can get by without Convention

RUMBLINGS regarding whether the UK should withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights are only going to get louder over the coming months as our politicians continue to grapple with the ongoing small boats crisis.

- Duncan Barkes

Reform UK has made it clear that, if they were in Government, they would quit the ECHR. The Conservatives appear to be mulling that over, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch expected to outline her party’s stance on leaving at their conference next month.

Even elements of Labour are painfully aware that failure to get a grip on the crisis, which has already seen 50,000 illegal migrants enter this country since they came to power, may well scupper their chances in future elections. The Labour view appears to be one of reform or review, as opposed to complete withdrawal, though.

Party grandee Jack Straw is urging Sir Keir Starmer to “decouple” the UK’s human rights laws from the ECHR so courts cannot misuse it to block deportations. Former home secretary Lord Blunkett has called on the PM to “suspend” the ECHR to allow the deportation of tens of thousands of rejected asylum seekers.

Jo White, MP for Bassetlaw and leader of the Red Wall group of around 40 Labour MPs, has also called for a review. So, undoubtedly, Labour is feeling the heat over the small boat crisis, with the issue achieving cut-through on the doorstep as voters demand to know why more is not being done.