Challenged on her vow to pull the UK out of the European Convention of Human Rights, Kemi Badenoch reeled off the successes of countries that aren’t in it – but they’re not in Europe
Kemi Badenoch has defended leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by listing countries that are not in Europe.
The Tory leader announced on the eve of Conservative party conference she would withdraw the UK from the international treaty if they won the next election in an effort to curb immigration, prompting a furious response. Defending the decision, Ms Badenoch explained it was “necessary to protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens”.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she was asked: “Do you really want the UK to join Russia and Belarus in leaving the European Convention on Human Rights?”.
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Ms Badenoch responded by listing a series of countries that weren’t signed up to the convention, all of which weren’t in Europe.
She said: “America is not in that agreement. Australia is not in that agreement. Canada is not in that agreement. You don’t need to be in that convention to have human rights. Our human rights existed long before the ECHR and long before the Human Rights Act.”
The ECHR offers rights to life, to liberty and security, to a fair trial, to respect for private and family life, to freedom of expression and assembly, and freedom of religion and belief. It also bans torture and cruel or degrading treatment, slavery and discrimination.
A Labour source mocked the comments, and referenced a recent Brexit blunder by Ms Badenoch during a TV interview. The under-pressure Tory leader mistakenly claimed that Northern Ireland voted to leave the EU during an interview with BBC News NI.
The source said: “It seems Kemi Badenoch’s lack of knowledge of European affairs stretches far beyond Northern Ireland. She really hasn’t got a clue.”
The policy forms part of a so-called “borders plan” that also includes a Donald Trump-style crackdown on immigration, backed by a new “removals force” modelled on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency.
The Tories aim to deport 750,000 people over the course of the next Parliament, more than the 600,000 targeted by Reform UK’s “mass deportation” plan announced over the summer
It comes as Ms Badenoch claimed any Tory that did not support her plan would be banned from running for the Conservatives at the next general election.
The Tory leader told the Camilla Tominey Show on GB News: “If you do not agree with leaving the ECHR, then you should not and cannot stand as a Conservative candidate.”
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