Keir Starmer has made clear that Labour will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights because there is “no need” and Rishi Sunak did not disagree, despite it being the reason his Government failed to curb illegal immigration. In the Telegraph, Nigel Farage has said it’s time to put the matter to the people. Here’s an excerpt.
During a Parliamentary debate on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer spoke warmly about this 74-year-old institution, telling MPs “Let me be clear: there is no need to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights… we will not withdraw – not now, not ever.” Rishi Sunak, who remains Tory leader for now, did not demur, despite knowing that it was the ECHR which ensured the ill-fated Rwanda scheme which he inherited from Boris Johnson did not get off the ground.
Logically, to support the outdated ECHR is nonsensical. It will only hinder Britain’s ability to deal with the ballooning problem of illegal immigration. Yet many MPs don’t seem to care.
During my maiden speech, I mentioned another Labour Home Secretary, David Blunkett, noting that during his period in office between 2001 and 2004, Britain used to deport illegal immigrants – something it no longer seems to do on the same scale. Under Blair’s Government, tens of thousands were deported every single year. This was not always an easy task for Blunkett, however.
In February 2003, the High Court heard a test case brought on behalf of five asylum seekers who challenged the Labour Government’s policy of denying refugees food and shelter if they did not make an asylum claim on arrival in Britain. Fearing that Britain had become a soft touch, Blunkett had introduced this measure in the interests of protecting the public purse, but Mr. Justice Collins ruled that the Government’s position was illegal. And the name of the barrister who represented the asylum seekers? Keir Starmer.At the time, Starmer gave an interview in which he said “First, there is the development of the notion of dignity and humanity in our law. It doesn’t matter whether the foundation of that notion is the European Convention on Human Rights or the common law, it is simply unacceptable in a civilised society to prevent a vulnerable group of individuals from working, to exclude them from the welfare benefits system and then to deprive them of a roof over their heads and of food.”
Well, given all this, I think it’s time we had a referendum on Britain’s membership of the ECHR. Does the Prime Minister have the courage to find out what the electorate really thinks about this burning issue – or is he scared that a plebiscite would reveal the gaping chasm between MPs and the people?
Worth reading in full.
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