1.1.4 – Rights in context
1.2.2 – Established parties
2.1.2 – Constitutional changes
The issue of membership in the Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) has been a prominent topic in Conservative Party politics for several, appearing in various party manifest:
2015 -We will scrap the Human Rights Act and curtail the role of the European Court of Human Rights.”
2017 – “We will remain signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights for the duration of next parliament.”
2019 – “[We will] update the Human Rights Act and administrative law to ensure is a proper balance between the of, our vital national security and effective government.”
2024 “If we are forced to our security and the jurisdiction of foreign court, including thetHR we will always choose our security.”
The focus on ECHR intensified recently for several reasons., the flagship Rwanda Policy of the 2019-2024 Parliament was hindered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In the case of KN v United Kingdom (2022), the ECtHR issued an emergency injunction preventing a migrant (KN) from being deported to Rwanda, causing frustration within the Conservative Party. Secondly, the issue gained prominence during the 4 Conservative election, with Robert Jenrick, the-up, advocating for Britain to leave the ECHR. Finally, the Party faces growing pressure from Reform UK on the matter. While the Conservatives remain divided, as reflected in the cautious and hypothetical stance of their 2024 manifesto Reform UK’s manifesto for 2024 took a definitive position, stating it would “Leave the European Convention on Human Rights [and] commence reform of the Human Rights Act that it puts the rights of lawiding people.”