Brexit leader Nigel Farage argues the British
people should be called upon again to decide whether the United Kingdom
remains under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) or fully take back control over its borders. Listen To Story
In light of the refusal by successive Conservative
governments in Westminster to remove the UK from the bounds of the
Strasbourg Court — despite compelling arguments made at the time, that
it should have been discarded with the European Union — a referendum
should be held now, Nigel Farage said. The vote would allow the people
of Britain to decide whether judges in France have any say over the
deportation of migrants or other issues, he remarked this week during a
discussion with subscribers of The Telegraph newspaper.
“A referendum that would be useful would be a referendum on the ECHR
and whether we should continue to allow a court in Strasbourg” to have a
say over British policy, Mr Farage said.
The Brexit leader said that while he implored figures such as former
Prime Minister Boris Johnson to include leaving the ECHR as a part of
the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union back then, he said Johnson
had “no interest” in doing so.
Although the 2016 referendum resulted in the UK
leaving the EU in 2020, Johnson decided to remain within the Council of
Europe and therefore under the jurisdiction of the European Court of
Human Rights. Both institutions are technically separate from the EU,
despite sharing much of the same agenda, and even having the same anthem
and flag as the EU. The ECHR is also located on the same campus as the
European Union Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
The decision by Johnson’s government to remain within the ECHR
framework has had serious ramifications on UK immigration policy.
Despite the Brexit promise of “taking back control” over the nation’s
borders, judges in Strasbourg intervened at the last minute
in June of 2022 to prevent a migrant removal flight to Rwanda, throwing
the central illegal boat migrant deterrence policy into chaos and
precipitating in years of delays — which are still ongoing — to the plan
of sending illegals to asylum processing centres in the East African
nation.
A legislative fix intended to allow the policy to get off the ground
is expected to finally be cleared by the House of Commons this Spring,
critics of the bill, such as former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and
former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick have warned that with the ECHR may once again stymie efforts to remove illegals from the country.
We need a referendum on leaving the ECHR. pic.twitter.com/1T1e7LDJBo
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) April 10, 2024
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said for the first
time that he would consider leaving the Strasbourg Court if it attempts
to block removal flights to Rwanda again.
“I believe that our scheme, including the Rwanda part
of it, all our plans to tackle illegal migration, are compliant with
all of our international obligations, including the ECHR.
“But I do believe that border security and making sure that we can
control illegal migration is more important than membership of a foreign
court because it’s fundamental to our sovereignty as a country,” Sunak told The Sun’s Never Mind the Ballots television programme.
The decision may become a central issue heading into the general
election, which is expected to be held later this year and in which
Sunak’s Tories currently trail the left-wing Labour Party by more than
20 points. Sunak and his supporters are hoping that if the government
can show the public that it is actually removing illegals to Rwanda,
they may be able to turn the tables and reclaim the support of
disaffected Red Wall voters who have abandoned the party in large part
to failures to deliver on Brexit promises on migration.
However, Sunak reportedly faces the prospect of a revolt from within
his own government if he attempts to break with the court, including
from his powerful globalist Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. According to a report from The Times of London,
those in opposition to leaving the European court within Sunak’s
cabinet outnumber those in favour of leaving by two to one over concerns
it may endanger the post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU, despite
the claimed independence of the ECHR.
Nigel Farage has also questioned if Sunak will hold to his word of leaving the European Court of Human Rights.
“I don’t believe a single word of it. I haven’t
believed a single word Sunak or any of his predecessors have said on
stopping illegal immigration,” Farage said.
Despite Sunak’s attempts
to claim that his government played a role in the slight reduction in
illegal crossings of the English Channel last year — which were more
likely a result of poor weather — boat migration has once again begun to
surge, with the current rate on pace for another record-setting year,
with a new high of 5,435 illegal crossings being recorded during the first three months of the year.
The continued failures to fulfil his pledge to “stop the boats” has
seen confidence decline in Sunak’s government to such a degree that more
voters now have more faith in the Reform party on immigration issues; a shift that is likely to cement predictions of the Tories heading towards a historic election defeat.
We need a referendum on leaving the ECHR. pic.twitter.com/1T1e7LDJBo
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) April 10, 2024
Source: Breitbart
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Author: Planet Today
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