Kemi Badenoch has announced that a Conservative government under her leadership would withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The party leader said the move was necessary “to protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens”, marking a significant shift to the right for the Tories as they seek to counter support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Critics of the ECHR argue that it hampers government efforts to tackle illegal migration and deport foreign criminals. However, opponents warn that withdrawal would damage the UK’s international reputation and could breach the Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland. Russia and Belarus are the only European countries not signed up to the convention.
The decision follows a review by shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson, which concluded that the ECHR “places significant constraints on the government” in areas including border control. Lord Wolfson deemed alternatives such as renegotiation or derogation as “either unrealistic or ineffective” and argued that leaving was compatible with the Good Friday Agreement and the Windsor framework.
The Conservative Party contrasted its approach with that of Reform UK, stating: “Unlike Reform UK, who have made slapdash announcements with no consideration of the implications and no plan to deliver behind them, the Conservatives have done the serious work to explore the legal and practical considerations necessary to leave the ECHR in an orderly manner.”
The ECHR, established in 1950, sets out rights and freedoms for citizens of 46 Council of Europe member states. Critics focus on Article 3, which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment, and Article 8, protecting private and family life, claiming they are interpreted too broadly by judges and prevent legitimate deportations. During last summer’s Conservative leadership contest, Badenoch argued that leaving the ECHR would not solve the UK’s problems, while rival Robert Jenrick said the party would “die” if it stayed in.
