PM: We Will Quit Euro Court If Rwanda Flights Blocked

IN his most forthright statement yet on the UK's future within the European Court of Human Rights, Rishi Sunak says he will leave the treaty if it blocks flights to Rwanda.

- Sam Lister

Coming out fighting after a few turbulent weeks of dire polls and party unrest, Rishi Sunak, who has been under pressure from some Tory MPs to commit to leaving the international agreement, said immigration control and border security were more important than "membership of any foreign court" and they were "fundamental to our sovereignty as a country".

The warning to Strasbourg judges is the strongest yet from Mr Sunak, who insists his Rwanda Bill complies with international law.

Speaking passionately yesterday about the need to stop the boats, the PM said illegal migration "offends my sense of fairness". In an interview with The Sun's Never Mind the Ballots on its YouTube channel, he added: "Of course, we're welcoming and tolerant people and my own personal story is an example of that.

"But that's got to be done fairly. And when people jump the queue, come here illegally and then put pressure on public services in the way that they do and we are not able to remove them in the way that we want to, that's not right. It offends my sense of fairness and that sense of fairness is a central character."

Another 800 illegal migrants t arrived on UK shores over the Easter weekend after crossing the Channel on small boats. It takes the total number of arrivals this year to more than 5,435, a 43% increase compared with the same time in 2023.