LONDON (Chatnewstv.com) — Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch on Saturday called for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, arguing the international treaty is overruling British democracy and preventing the government from securing its borders.
The call follows a party-commissioned report by Lord Wolfson KC, which Badenoch described as “the most serious, detailed piece of work any political party has produced” on the subject.
“For years, politicians have promised to take back control. But time and again, when we tried to act in Britain’s interests, we were blocked,” Badenoch said in a statement.
“Not by voters, but by judges in Strasbourg.”
Badenoch asserted that the ECHR has been used to stop the deportation of foreign criminals, hinder border security, and launch legal challenges against military veterans.
“The conclusion is clear: if we want to protect our borders, our veterans, and our democracy then…. Britain must leave the ECHR,” she declared.
The Conservative leader positioned her party as the only one with a credible strategy to manage the complex legal and political process of withdrawal.
“Unlike other parties who treat leaving like it’s a slogan or a silver bullet, we recognise the complexity,” Badenoch said. “That’s why we have a plan built on months of hard work and detailed legal preparation.”
She acknowledged that leaving the convention would not be simple, stating it would require “courage, competence and careful reform,” including rewriting domestic laws and reconfiguring international relationships.
Badenoch framed the issue as a fundamental question of national sovereignty and democratic accountability.
“This is about more than leaving a treaty. It’s about restoring trust in our democracy and giving power back to the people you elect,” she said.
“I know that now, more than ever, getting it right matters.”
