London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

European court at odds with British values, says Suella Braverman

European court at odds with British values, says Suella Braverman

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is politicised and sometimes at odds with British values, Suella Braverman has said.
The home secretary was speaking to the BBC one day after acknowledging her plan to stop small boat crossings could be challenged in the Strasbourg court.

Asked if she could ignore the court, she said a balance should be "struck".

Ms Braverman's Illegal Migration Bill - which aims to stop small boat Channel crossings - was published on Wednesday.

The proposed law would put a duty on the government to detain and remove people arriving in the UK illegally, either to Rwanda or another "safe" third country.

Migrants would not be granted bail or able to seek judicial review for the first 28 days of detention.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made passing the law one of his key five priorities, however it is likely to face obstacles - both political and legal.

For example individuals could challenge their detention and removal from the UK by taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Speaking to the BBC's Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast, Ms Braverman was asked if she was tempted to follow the example of previous governments which tried to ignore the court's rulings on giving prisoners the vote.

"There are important questions to be asked about whether the balance has been properly struck," she replied.

"I would say it's a court which is politicised, it is interventionist and it doesn't always follow a process that we would recognise as being due process.

"In a whole range of policy areas, I think sometimes the jurisprudence from the Strasbourg court is at odds with the will of Parliament or British values more generally."

She emphasised that the new Illegal Migrants Bill would not be taking the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights - the set of rules interpreted by the court.

Writing to Conservative MPs after the bill was published, she said there was "more than a 50% chance" the legislation was not compatible with the European Court of Human Rights.

She said ministers wanted to test the boundaries of legal obligations - but believed their plans were within those limits.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, French MEP Nathalie Loiseau cautioned that cooperation between the UK and EU depended on the UK sticking to the European Convention on Human Rights.

"If you read the trade and cooperation agreement between the UK and the EU, which was signed and ratified on both sides, every single piece of judicial cooperation relies on a full commitment to the ECHR," she said.

Labour's Yvette Cooper has said the government's plans would make "the problems even worse, and make it more chaotic", putting more lives "at risk".

The United Nations refugee agency has described the moves as "very concerning".

Mr Sunak has said the measures are "tough, but necessary and fair" and added that he is "up for the fight" over the legislation.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×