Richard Hermer has claimed that leaving the ECHR would make any deals on immigration an impossibility. Speaking to the Lords Constitution Committee this morning, Hemer said:
“The Prime Minister made very plain our commitment to the European Convention. We have reached agreements that have real practical impact and will increasingly have real practical impact in addressing small boat crossings… Germany has agreed to amend its own domestic law to deal with the problem of the transport of boat materials through Germany to the beaches on France.”
Somehow Hermer manages to credit the European Convention for this:
“Now, it is inconceivable that our partners would have entered into those agreements if we were not members of the Council of Europe, if we were not signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights. We are back and it is having practical impact.”
The UK never left…
Hermer hit back at major Labour figures like Blunkett and Straw who have urged Starmer to derogate or leave the ECHR:
“As some people are now advocating, to leave, would be entirely counterproductive if what we are seeking is not rhetorical answers but real practical answers. If we leave, those deals go. No one’s going to enter agreements to us if we’re not complying with the same standards across the im immigration and asylum system. It would be contrary to the national interest. It would be impractical and of course it would do, I think, great damage to this country’s long fought for reputation as a leader in international law.”
It’s that last point which matters to the socialist legal class. Leading the charge in suicide by international court…
Robert Jenrick told a rally on Monday:
“They say Chancellors are either undertakers or bookies. This one is an ostrich – and when the Chancellor buries his head in the sand, the rest of us, we’re left staring at his you know what.”