UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated a willingness to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to address the issue of illegal immigration, specifically to enable the deportation of migrants to Rwanda. This stance has sparked a wide range of reactions, from support for prioritizing border security to concerns over the impact on human rights and international obligations. The government's approach has been criticized for potentially criminalizing homelessness and for its implications on the UK's human rights commitments. Rwanda has stated that its agreement with the UK would remain compatible with a withdrawal from the ECHR, adding a layer of complexity to the debate. Critics argue that Sunak's position is more about political positioning than a feasible policy shift, while supporters argue it's necessary for national sovereignty and border control. Additionally, Rwanda flights are expected to take off this spring regardless of ECHR intervention, and there's a concern that if the UK leaves the ECHR, Rwanda won't take its refugees.
Rwanda flights will take off this spring even if the European Court of Human Rights intervenes, the Home Office believes. @JamesCleverly https://t.co/wt80seB8CN https://t.co/qkWvDChZLO
ICYMI: 'If Rishi Sunak was serious about leaving the ECHR he would have kept Suella Braverman in position.' Reform UK MP for Ashfield, @LeeAndersonMP_, says he is 'sick to death of importing a third world culture over the Channel.' https://t.co/jNrT2kPm1t
Ministers are increasingly confident that they will succeed in sending illegal migrants to Rwanda after the European Court of Human Rights made it harder to block deportations ⬇️ https://t.co/yUydaj2NGN
"Rwanda flights ‘will take off this spring regardless of ECHR intervention’ "Ministers believe even if a ‘few’ migrants succeed in avoiding deportation, entire flights will not be grounded as happened in June 2022" https://t.co/cgc9TN3ILC
'If Rishi Sunak was serious about leaving the ECHR he would have kept Suella Braverman in position.' Reform UK MP for Ashfield, @LeeAndersonMP_, says he is 'sick to death of importing a third world culture over the Channel.' https://t.co/ndPmSE8y2s
🚨 NEW: Rishi Sunak is now confident he will send illegal migrants to Rwanda after the ECHR made it harder to block deportations [@thetimes]
Rishi Sunak handed major Rwanda boost as it will continue to take migrants even if Britain quits ECHR https://t.co/ltZTcqCqLN
'This has been a disastrous policy right from the start. Leaving the ECHR seems to me a completely mad idea.' Nigel Nelson reacts to Rishi Sunak's comments on the ECHR and says 'the Good Friday Agreement would be in real trouble'. https://t.co/APbKZKY7i3
'What he's doing is telling an audience what they want to hear. He didn't mean it for one little bit. I don't believe a single word Sunak or any of his predecessors have said about stopping illegal immigration.' @Nigel_Farage reacts to Rishi Sunak's comments about the ECHR. https://t.co/l4CmYmRrej
Opinion | Leaving the ECHR is a bloody fight Sunak must be prepared to have The Government must be able to address the most important issues facing the British public, pure and simple 🖋️ @SebastianEPayne https://t.co/6Grdz8lR7G
18 months into the premiership of #RishiSunak, his Tory government continue to think about withdrawing Britain from the ECHR, as part of their undermining of our human rights. Please watch this excellent video explaining the issue from @PeterStefanovi2. https://t.co/QlDWy7c0W8
EXCL: Rwanda has given the PM the green-light to carry out his threat of ending membership of the ECHR. It casts doubt on claims made by the PM last year when he suggested any hardening of the Rwanda Bill would not be acceptable to Kigali. w/@JackElsom https://t.co/BFakOgDbom
Rwanda has said the UK leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) would be compatible with its deportation deal with Rishi Sunak’s government. @JamesCleverly @VotePursglove @Michael4MDNP @EnverSol @PoliceInspForum https://t.co/wt80seB8CN
🔴 Britain leaving ECHR would be compatible with deportation deal, says Rwanda https://t.co/OO39LG20rP
“I think it’s absurd that he has staked his premiership on this abstract and technically legal question.” Former Jeremy Corbyn adviser James Schneider, reacts to Rishi Sunak’s hint at pulling out of the ECHR to get Rwanda flights off the ground. @daisymcandrew https://t.co/IQhCgTrXiJ
'He's desperate for anything that will give people a reason to vote for him and not Starmer.' International Human Rights Lawyer, David Haigh, brands Rishi Sunak 'hopeless' for saying the UK might leave the ECHR over the Rwanda plan. https://t.co/ElKl51jI6o
"The ECHR has become a problem." Reform UK's Ben Habib says Rishi Sunak isn't going to do "the right thing" by leaving the ECHR. @TVKev | @benhabib6 https://t.co/gx5Br4kVdb
Prime Minister @RishiSunak just vowed to join Russia & Belarus as the only European countries outside the ECHR if needed to get his flights to Rwanda If you stand against his plan RT this widely. The country must wake up urgently https://t.co/FhBZ06sneX
THIS SHOULD SHOCK THE COUNTRY Prime Minister @RishiSunak just vowed to join Russia & Belarus as the only European countries outside the ECHR if needed to get flights to Rwanda Every Lawyer & every individual who cares about our human rights must stand against him Please RT https://t.co/OXobfyj3ni
Rishi Sunak is ‘ready’ to pull Britain out of the border-denying ECHR in the same way that I’m ‘ready’ to go to the gym for the first time since January.
'Every election they suddenly become very Conservative, very right wing.' Former MEP, Bill Etheridge, says Rishi Sunak has 'no intention of leaving the ECHR'. 📺 Freeview 236, Sky 512, Virgin 604 🖥️ GB News on YouTube: https://t.co/KHMl3BS8eC https://t.co/yQdl9Q0ti3
Really @RishiSunak do you think for one minute I believe you are going to leave the ECHR? Do it now, today. S**t or get off the pot.
Homeless people WON'T be criminalised says Rishi Sunak but vows he'll crack down on nuisance behaviour. Watch #NeverMindTheBallots, hosted by @MrHarryCole, every week on https://t.co/sOsZmZ2K9A and The Sun's YouTube channel: https://t.co/nAyOc5EYBy https://t.co/UAIwAHNoZ6
A reminder, following @RishiSunak's usual nonsense yesterday: "Rwandan government suggests it would have pulled out of its deportation deal with UK if UK had opted out of international human rights laws". If we leave ECHR, Rwanda won't take our refugees. https://t.co/PNDOJuw5zo
Rishi Sunak advocates UK exit from European Court of Human Rights amid migrant concerns British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has hinted at the possibility of Britain withdrawing from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in response to the influx of migrants. In an interview… https://t.co/ppb0ryv7hN
The British prime minister hinted for the first time at withdrawing from the international treaty, claiming that "border security and controlling illegal migration is more important than our membership of any foreign court.” https://t.co/o7ZZhJmLwT
Nothing’s more important than protecting our borders – we could QUIT Euro court to stop boats, Rishi vows Top story from our Never Mind The Ballots @YouTube 📺 show Full story 👇 @SunPolitics https://t.co/STtKy3RdKX https://t.co/JircvU6OJh
Rishi Sunak vows to QUIT European court if it blocks Rwanda flights https://t.co/6lUBwfFvYH
Rishi Sunak wanting to criminalise homelessness & withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights in the same week https://t.co/YFwKvweypA
This definitely felt like a firming up of the threat to leave the ECHR by the PM presumably to allow action that the convention would block. So how does that chime with Rwanda’s statement that the deal is off if we stray beyond limits of international law? https://t.co/AiJlm7Zsqt
Rishi Sunak has said that border security and controlling illegal migration is more important than the UK's membership of any foreign court. Emma Woolf: "There's isn't that much meat on the bone." #TalkTV https://t.co/csQHu6MH4y
Sunak threatens to leave ECHR if Rwanda plan blocked https://t.co/EHwdAcOfrN
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has, for the first time, hinted at leaving the ECHR if his attempts to tackle record levels of illegal immigration into Britain are contested in the foreign court. https://t.co/CNwvntP6gx
🔴 Sunak: Rwanda plan ‘more important’ than ECHR membership https://t.co/gkXZ4hplGc
Rishi Sunak vows to QUIT European court 'if he has to' in desperate bid to end migrant crisis https://t.co/3B4w5ZUu80
Rishi Sunak insists he did not keep green card to move back to US https://t.co/dpclEfx5C3
In a Sun interview, Rishi has said that Britain will quit the ECHR if that is what it takes to stop small boats. If he seriously wanted to he would have done so by now. Don’t believe a word he says.
"Rishi Sunak has said controlling illegal immigration is “more important” than membership of the European Convention on Human Rights, in a strong hint that he is ready to tear up Britain’s international obligations to enable Rwanda flights to take off" https://t.co/T7R8pr6ISE
The PM is right. Clearly the ability to control our borders is far more important than our membership of an ever expansionist ECHR that seems to be intent on undermining the fundamentals of national democracy. https://t.co/mPYDMQIxkR
PM threatens to leave ECHR over Rwanda Plan. His threat undermines UK - human rights only if not too difficult politically. Time not on his side to exit ECHR. But he’s PM and puts UK’s commitment to human rights in doubt. Shame on him.
Megan Gittoes from the Henry Jackson Society brands new homelessness laws "really alarming", as it could see rough sleepers arrested for bad odour. "We're treating the symptom and not the actual disease, how is this our approach in 2024? It makes no sense!" @JJAnisiobi https://t.co/ar7NznLqIO
There it is. He's said it. Rishi Sunak would leave the ECHR to get flights to Rwanda off the ground. This is so, so dangerous. Sunak is desperate to appease the right of his party and the country will pay the price. We need a change of government now. https://t.co/YzD1vA2XWA
🚨 EXC: Britain will quit the ECHR if that is what it takes to stop small boats, Sunak tells Sun readers tonight. For the first time in his premiership, the PM threatened to end the UK’s 71-year tie to the European Convention of Human Rights. WATCH: https://t.co/s5Pf7OynNU
Absolutely disgusting policy from this disgraceful Govt. The effects in the build up to, during and the PTSD that comes after being made homeless are devastating and life is always seen different eyes from then on. And now they want to make one a criminal too! Words fail me😡😡 https://t.co/qQrlyDeb7R
Criminalising homelessness & fining people for having nothing of their own is the most nasty, Victorian, absolutely obscene & utterly useless piece of legislation imaginable If you agree RT this widely to let @RishiSunak know https://t.co/32BNHfjdjY
Criminalising homelessness & fining people for having nothing of their own is the most nasty, Victorian & absolutely obscene piece of legislation imaginable @reid6peter @CAA_Official @RealGaryWebster @campbellclaret @reece_dinsdale @DeborahMeaden @carolvorders @JohnCleese https://t.co/32BNHfjdjY
The Government’s plan to criminalise homelessness - you heard that right - CRIMINALISE HOMELESSNESS is a vile & shameless attempt to blame the most vulnerable members of our society for the national shame of its own abject failure Everyone please watch & RT this shocking report https://t.co/EnTOZmrbhQ