A third of Rishi Sunak’s cabinet and a host of Tory MPs want the party to campaign to leave the European Convention on Human Rights at the next election if the Rwanda plan is blocked
- At least eight cabinet ministers agree with the move if the courts block flights
A third of Rishi Sunak’s cabinet could push to quit the European Convention on Human Rights at the next general election if the Rwanda plan is blocked.
At least eight ministers, along with other senior Tories, are in favour of the move if the courts continue to prevent migrant deportation flights taking off, a source told The Telegraph.
A host of conservative MPs have long called for Britain to leave the international agreement if it cannot renegotiate its relationship.
The convention established the European Court of Human Rights, which played a key role in stopping asylum seekers being flown to Rwanda last year.
‘Opinion in the parliamentary party has hardened considerably, as evidenced by the relative ease of passing the Illegal Migration Act. That is reflected in the Cabinet,’ the source said.
A third of Rishi Sunak’s cabinet could push to quit the European Convention on Human Rights at the next general election if the Rwanda plan is blocked
‘The question is actually who would care enough to oppose given the situation, and it’s hard to think who that would be,’ they added.
Another Cabinet minister, who is said to be a close ally of Mr Sunak, told the Telegraph: ‘The Government isn’t ruling it out.
‘We’ve spent a very long time as a party trying to find a place that we can live with the ECHR, and we still want to – but ultimately, if you get to a point between deliverability and not, then I don’t think you can totally rule it out.’
Robert Jenrick told Times Radio yesterday: ‘You can see from the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and myself, our total commitment to this challenge.
‘That’s why we’re working on every possible front. That’s why we have produced the most comprehensive plan of any European country to tackle this issue.
‘And we’ll do whatever is necessary ultimately to defend our borders and to bring order to our asylum system.’
Pressed directly on whether that could include leaving the ECHR, immigration minister Mr Jenrick said: ‘We will do whatever is required, take whatever necessary action is needed.’
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has previously expressed her personal view that the UK should leave the convention.
Robert Jenrick (pictured) told Times Radio yesterday that he, the Prime Minister and the Home Secretaryare committed to the challenge of the Rwanda plan
Mr Jenrick also warned asylum seekers that they cannot expect a selection of accommodation options after some launched challenges to avoid being placed on board the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland Port, Dorset.
He said: ‘The way the asylum support system operates is that if someone claims to be destitute – that is they have no way of supporting themselves – there’s a legal obligation to step in and provide them with accommodation and basic needs.
‘But we do that on a no-choice basis, not an ‘a la carte menu’ where you can choose which hotel or which location.
‘If you decline the accommodation that’s provided, then we will consider removing your asylum support.
‘We are not making anybody destitute. They would be choosing to do so because they would not accept the perfectly decent accommodation.’
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