Starmer’s wild claim that leaving the ECHR would put the UK in the same ‘camp’ as Russia and Belarus has been torn apart in a new report from Policy Exchange. It was already a ridiculous idea that being part of the international court would hold back the two authoritarian regimes from human rights abuse…
The report is backed by Labour’s former Lord Chancellor and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Michael Gove, veteran KC Jonathan Sumption, former Home Secretary Michael Howard and Australia’s former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. They note that Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe following its invasion of Ukraine and Belarus was never admitted to the Council of Europe as its application was denied. Jack Straw says:
“… those who want the UK to stay attached to the ECHR must do better than trot out the tired, indeed nonsensical, argument that if we were to leave we would be in the same ‘club’ as Belarus or Russia. It’s a ‘Here be dragons” argument, devoid of serious meaning.”
Co-conspirators can expect how that will go down with Starmer and his group of lefty human rights lawyers…
Read the report in full below:
Asked by Lobby hacks about his past comments on Trump (“any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now”) Burnham was blithe:
“Politicians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in.”
Were it so easy…