RISHI Sunak must immediately remove Britain from the ECHR because it’s “choking” democracy, Suella Braverman demanded today.
Speaking amid a police lockdown at the right-wing National Conservatives conference in Belgium, the ex-Home Secretary warned European courts are favouring criminals over law-abiding Brits.
In a conference venue barricaded by Brussels cops, a defiant Ms Braverman said: “The ECHR is binding our hands and choking common-sense decisions.
“Until we are rid of it, our governments will find themselves impotent.
“Through a combination of the ECHR and Labour’s Human Rights Act, the Strasbourg Court is delivering judgements that too often favour the rights of the criminal minority over the rights and safety of the law-abiding majority.”
The outspoken ex-minister added that the only way to “restore sovereignty” to British courts is to make a quick ECHR exit.
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She said: “The UK and much of Europe will continue to be incapable of properly securing our borders, protecting our communities, and delivering the will of our people.
“Ultimately the choice is between the ECHR or parliamentary democracy.
“We can either keep our borders under control, or keep the Convention. We cannot keep both.”
Minutes before Ms Braverman’s speech began the socialist Mayor of Saint-Josse ordered cops to shut down Nat Con.
A police spokesman said they were taking “all necessary operational measures to prevent a public disturbance” as anti-fascist demonstrators were planning to protest at the venue later in the day.
But organisers blasted the justification as “nonsense” and an example of “cancel culture”.
Conference delegates can now remain in the venue, but no one is allowed in and anyone who exits the premises will be barred from returning.
Opening her speech amid chaotic scenes, Ms Braverman blasted: “The radical left’s attempt to stop this conference from taking
place makes our gathering all the more important, not to mention
satisfying.
“If only the globalists in Brussels put as much energy into securing our borders as they did trying to gag conservatives then maybe our
continent would be in a healthier state.”
What is the European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights has jurisdiction in the 46 countries that are subscribed to the European Convention of Human Rights.
Based in Strasbourg, its judges rule on possible breaches of the 16 Articles that make up the Convention.
It emerged from the Second World War and has been in place since 1953 where Britain was a founding member.
The court is entirely separate from the European Union meaning the UK is still bound by its rulings.
Large sections of the Convention are enshrined in UK law via the 1998 Human Rights Act.
Why do critics want to leave it?
In recent years there have been growing calls to leave the ECHR, which critics accuse of becoming increasingly political.
This culminated in 2022, when an anonymous judge ordered the British government to abort its first Rwanda flight while the plane was on the runway.
Fears of overreach also boiled over last week when Strasbourg ruled against the Swiss Government for not doing enough to stop climate change.
Proponents of the ECHR say leaving would put Britain in the same club as Russia and Belarus as the continent’s only non-members.
But critics like Liz Truss hit back that many countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia have good human rights without needing a third party court.
What has Rishi Sunak said?
Rishi Sunak has said he would be prepared to quit the ECHR if that is what it takes to stop the boats.
He told our Never Mind The Ballots show: “I believe that border security and controlling illegal migration is more important than our membership of any foreign court.”
Separately, the Rwanda Bill gives ministers the powers to ignore the so-called “Pyjama Injunctions” which lets judges cast down eleventh-hour vetos in the dead of night.
