Rishi Sunak insisted he would not shy away from quitting the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) last night, claiming he would choose the UK’s security over being a member ‘every single time’.
The Prime Minister also accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of not having an effective deterrent for illegal migrants and consistently voting against legislation on Rwanda.
Mr Sunak acknowledged that illegal migration was still a ‘growing issue’ but said his Rwanda plan was proof the Conservatives were already tackling the problem.
Hours earlier, Home Secretary James Cleverly repeatedly refused to rule out the dramatic move to leave the ECHR, which has been urged by many on the Right as a way to enforce a tougher policy towards illegal immigrants.
On the possibility of the UK leaving the ECHR, Mr Sunak told last night’s televised debate with the Labour leader on ITV: ‘I believe all our plans are compliant with our international obligations.
‘But if I’m forced to choose between securing our borders and our country’s security or a foreign court, I’m going to choose our country’s security every single time.’
Rishi Sunak (pictured) has insisted he would not shy away from quitting the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
Britain’s Labour Party leader Keir Starmer debates with Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as ITV hosts the first head-to-head debate
James Cleverly (pictured) has hinted the Conservative manifesto may leave the door open to Britain leaving the European Convention on Human Rights
Sir Keir pointed to record migration numbers and small boat crossings in recent years and said his experience ‘smashing terrorist gangs’ shows taking down people smugglers is possible.
‘The flights will go in July but only if I’m your Prime Minister,’ Mr Sunak said.
‘If Keir Starmer was elected, all those people will be released, the flights will be cancelled and we will have no deterrent to stop the unfairness of people crossing in boats.
‘So that’s the choice for you at this election – stick to our plan and illegal migrants will be on those planes. With Labour, they will be out on our streets.
‘Over the past 12 months, the number of crossings are down because the plans we put in place are starting to make a difference, but the choice of this election is about the future.
‘We put new laws in Parliament that have now led to almost 1000 criminals and people smugglers being arrested, serving hundreds of years in jail.
‘Because we do need to smash the gangs – Keir Starmer voted against those laws. So as ever, you say one thing here, but your track record says something completely different and you can’t trust it.’
While the Home Secretary had repeatedly refused to rule out leaving the ECHR, he also said the Strasbourg court needed shaking up after a string of ‘really wrong’ judgments.
Cleverly pictured during a visit to a haulage firm in Rochester today – where Reform’s predecessor party UKIP won a by-election a decade ago
Britain’s Home Secretary, and Conservative MP, James Cleverly talks to journalists on board the Conservative’s campaign bus in Kent
However, Mr Cleverly insisted that his party’s immigration policy is not being dictated by Nigel Farage, who has long called for Britain to pull out of the ECHR in order to ‘complete Brexit’.
It comes after the Conservatives vowed to impose an annual cap on legal migration in a fresh move to cut the number of foreign workers coming to the UK.
Speaking on a visit to a haulage firm in Rochester, Mr Cleverly said: ‘We’ve got a track record of getting reform of the ECHR.
‘We are certainly not the only member state of the ECHR that thinks that some of the decisions that have come out of it recently are really wrong and overstep the remit of the ECHR.’
Mr Sunak had hinted he could back leaving the ECHR if it blocks his Rwanda policy again, but others in the Cabinet fear it would send a dangerous signal about the UK’s commitment to human rights, as well risking peace in Northern Ireland.