Kemi Badenoch has announced that a Conservative government under her leadership would withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), a landmark shift in Tory policy aimed at tackling illegal migration and reclaiming political ground from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
The focus keyword UK exit from ECHR is central to Badenoch’s pledge, as she framed the decision as necessary “to protect our borders, our veterans, and our citizens.” The move follows a review led by David Wolfson, the shadow attorney general, which concluded that the ECHR places “significant constraints” on Britain’s ability to control its borders and deport foreign offenders.
Badenoch’s announcement reflects a calculated effort to prevent further erosion of Conservative support to Reform UK, whose leader Farage has long campaigned for leaving the treaty.
Criticism and International Concerns
Critics warn that a UK exit from the ECHR would damage Britain’s global reputation and risk undermining the Good Friday Agreement, the cornerstone of peace in Northern Ireland. They note that Russia and Belarus are the only European countries not bound by the treaty.
Human rights campaigners argue that Article 3, which bans inhuman or degrading treatment, and Article 8, which protects family life, are vital protections often misrepresented as obstacles to lawful deportations. The ECHR, established in 1950, underpins UK human rights law and has repeatedly been used to challenge government attempts to deport asylum seekers and convicted criminals.
Conservative Party Position
The Conservative Party defended Badenoch’s policy, contrasting its “serious work” on legal pathways to leave the ECHR with Reform UK’s “slapdash announcements.” Party officials stressed that the exit plan would be carried out in an “orderly manner” to avoid legal chaos.
Lord Wolfson’s review dismissed alternatives such as renegotiation or derogation as “unrealistic or ineffective,” insisting that departure from the ECHR remains legally compatible with the Good Friday Agreement and Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trade.
Political Context
During the Conservative leadership contest last year, the ECHR was a dividing line between Badenoch and Robert Jenrick. At the time, Badenoch had expressed reservations about leaving, while Jenrick warned the party’s survival depended on making the break.
Now, with migration and sovereignty dominating the political agenda, Badenoch has chosen to side with those demanding a UK exit from ECHR — a move set to dominate the upcoming election campaign.
