Labour's Attorney General, Lord Hermer, has sparked controversy by claiming that the Conservative and Reform UK parties would allow migrants to “drown in the water” as part of their approach to the Channel migrant crisis. In an interview with the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Lord Hermer criticised the rhetoric from the right of the political spectrum, suggesting it showed a “disregard for the humanity of people”.
Lord Hermer defended Labour’s strategy, which involves co-operation with European states and adherence to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), arguing it is “starting to be pretty effective”. He rejected calls from the Tories and Reform to leave the ECHR, stating that such a move would be “not a British way to deal with it”.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp hit back, calling Lord Hermer’s comments a “disgraceful slur”. He accused Labour of prioritising “tenuous human rights claims” over border security, noting that small boat crossings have risen 45% since the election and that 73,000 have crossed under Sir Keir Starmer. Philp reiterated the Conservative position that the UK should leave the ECHR to enable swift deportations.
Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf also condemned Lord Hermer, labelling him a “traitor to his country” and vowing that Reform would “secure our border and deport all illegal migrants”.
The row comes as the UK, alongside Italy and Denmark, agreed to new interpretations of the ECHR to make it harder for migrants to block deportations using human rights claims. The changes emphasise that the right to family life must be balanced against public interest and national security.
