Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has vowed to ban migrants from using human rights laws to fight deportations as the Tories look to take take advantage of Reform UK's civil war on the issue of immigration.
In a policy announcement, Badenoch said she would disregard the Human Rights Act for all immigration cases.
The announcement comes after a series of controversial rulings at asylum tribunals, including an Albanian criminal who was allowed to stay in Britain due to his son’s aversion to foreign chicken nuggets, and a Pakistani pedophile who avoided deportation because it would “harm his children”.
In another case, a Nigerian woman avoided removal from the UK after joining a terror group.
The Tory leader said the move was essential to put an end to “extremely distorted interpretations of international laws”
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Just last week, it was revealed that a judge granted an Albanian cannabis farmer’s asylum claim, despite fears he was “making up” his refugee claim.
The move will take the immigration crackdown to Labour and Reform UK, moving the Conservative’s closer to campaigning for a full withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The Tory leader said the move was essential to put an end to “extremely distorted interpretations of international laws”.
She said: “It’s critical to shift immigration powers from the courts to Parliament and elected ministers, enabling more effective control over our borders.”
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“The Conservative Party is under new leadership, and our new approach is committed to reducing immigration and enhancing border security. Operating in Britain’s national interest means recognising the government’s primary purpose – defending our borders, values, and people.”
Conservative MPs will challenge Labour to back the move by tabling it as an amendment to the Government’s Border Security Bill.
Under this plan, the Human Rights Act would be disapplied for all aspects of immigration control, migrants seeking to use human rights rules to fight a case would have to apply directly to the ECHR.
The change would take immigration rules to pre-2000 times, when the ECHR’s provisions did not apply in UK courts.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said it was imperative to stop “ever more expansive interpretations of the ECHR that defy common sense”
PAUnder Badenoch’s proposal, Home Office officials would still take the convention into account when making initial asylum decisions.
The amendment would also reintroduce powers for ministers to ignore “pyjama injunctions”- which are last-minute interim ECHR orders to halt deportations.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said it was imperative to stop “ever more expansive interpretations of the ECHR that defy common sense”.
He said: “Foreign criminals pose a danger to British citizens and must be removed, but so often this is frustrated by spurious legal claims. The human rights of our own citizens to be protected from these criminals are routinely ignored. Under new leadership, the Conservatives will end this.”
“We will see if Labour votes for this amendment – if they do not, it will be clear they are not serious about protecting our borders.”
