Kemi Badenoch has defended the decision to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by pointing out that several non-European countries are not part of the agreement.
The announcement was made by the Tory leader on the eve of the Conservative party conference, stating that if they were to win the next election, the UK would pull out of the international treaty as a measure to control immigration, sparking strong reactions. Badenoch justified the move, citing the need to safeguard borders, veterans, and citizens.
During an appearance on the BBC’s program with Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch was questioned about aligning the UK with Russia and Belarus in exiting the ECHR. In response, she highlighted countries outside of Europe, such as the United States, Australia, and Canada, that are not part of the convention, emphasizing that human rights are not dependent on ECHR membership.
Badenoch emphasized that human rights existed prior to the ECHR, which guarantees fundamental rights like the right to life, liberty, fair trial, privacy, freedom of expression, religion, and prohibits torture, slavery, and discrimination.
Critics from the Labour party mocked Badenoch’s remarks, referencing a recent Brexit-related mistake she made in a TV interview regarding Northern Ireland. They questioned her understanding of European affairs, suggesting a lack of knowledge.
The withdrawal from the ECHR is part of the Tories’ “borders plan,” which includes implementing a strict immigration policy resembling that of former US President Donald Trump, with the creation of a new “removals force” modeled after the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency. The Conservative party aims to deport around 750,000 individuals over the next parliamentary term, surpassing Reform UK’s plan for “mass deportation.”
Badenoch stated that any Conservative party member who does not support the ECHR withdrawal plan will be ineligible to run as a candidate in the upcoming general election, underlining the party’s stance on the issue.