Former Prime Minister David Cameron believes leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is not essential to address the issue of small boat crossings in the UK. The comments come amidst ongoing debate within the Conservative Party over the UK’s membership in the treaty.
Cameron acknowledges that a returns agreement with France to disrupt people-smuggling operations is currently unfeasible due to the current political climate. His remarks follow Rishi Sunak’s successful passage of legislation through Parliament aimed at preventing further legal challenges to the government’s Rwanda deportation scheme.
Despite the legislation’s imminent enactment, ministers anticipate legal challenges. The judiciary has designated 25 courtrooms to handle potential cases. Cameron emphasizes that leaving the ECHR is not a necessary step for the policy’s implementation, as other international treaties and domestic laws prohibit refoulement, the forced return of asylum seekers to countries where they face persecution.