UK's Suella Braverman launches attack on ECHR over treaties on migrants

United Kingdom's Home Secretary Suella Braverman hinted at her willingness to leave the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), as she issued a warning that the treaties which govern the treatment of migrants are not “fit for purpose in an age of jet travel and smartphones”.

The statement was given by the home secretary last night before she was scheduled to visit her counterparts in the US where she will speak about the challenges created by global migration, which also includes small boats across the Channel.

“Illegal migration and the unprecedented mass movement of people across the globe is placing unsustainable pressures on America, the UK, and Europe,” the home secretary said.

“We must come together and ask whether the international conventions and legal frameworks designed 50-plus years ago are fit for purpose in an age of jet travel and smartphones. I’m going to Washington to discuss this crisis with our American counterparts. If we fail to meet these challenges, then our political institutions risk losing their democratic legitimacy,” she added.

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This will concern the figures on the Tory party's liberal wing whose one of the key demands has been staying within the ECHR. It has been said that leaving ECHR would mean that the Tories will be seen as the “nasty party” once again.

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Braverman's determination to send asylum seekers to Rwanda

Previously, Braverman clarified that she would do “whatever it takes” to transfer the asylum seekers to Rwanda, a plan which has been blocked by the courts.

Her trip to the US and the speech delivered will be seen as evidence of her positioning herself as a potential leadership candidate in the Tory party.

Chief executive of the Refugee Council Enver Solomon has said that the attacks on the ECHR went against the historic support of Britain for such treaties. “Our nation has long demonstrated a deep commitment to providing sanctuary to those fleeing persecution and conflict,” he said.

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“This proud legacy is a testament to our values of compassion, empathy and solidarity. Abandoning these principles is not an option; we must stand firm in our commitment to refugees and to the international frameworks that were created to protect them,” he added.

“What we need is a fair process for people who come here in search of safety and protection. Instead of threatening to abandon the frameworks and conventions that protect refugees’ rights, we should be addressing the real issues in the asylum system, such as the record backlog, and providing safe routes for those in need of protection, including refugee visas, resettlement and family reunion schemes,” he further stated.

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