Leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) would make it “significantly harder” for the United Kingdom to prevent migrants from arriving by small boats, a government minister said on Wednesday.
His remarks followed proposals by the hard-right Reform UK party, which has pledged to withdraw from the treaty.
Reform UK has outlined a plan to exit the ECHR and deport as many as 600,000 asylum seekers within five years if it wins the next general election, expected in 2029.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for European Union relations, dismissed the idea that leaving the convention would resolve Britain’s migration challenges.
“Leaving the ECHR and joining Belarus and Russia as the two other European nations who are not signatories, that is not going to assist with getting the international cooperation that we need to tackle this issue,” he told reporters.
“In fact, it’s going to make it significantly harder to do it,” he added.
Reform UK argues that quitting the treaty would allow Britain to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights, applying only to citizens and those with legal residence in the UK.
Party leader Nigel Farage has sought to channel voter frustration over the record number of migrant arrivals, a situation that has weighed heavily on the governing Labour party, now struggling in the polls.
More than 50,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats from northern France since Labour’s Keir Starmer became prime minister just over a year ago, despite his promise to “smash the gangs” responsible for organizing the crossings.
Thomas-Symonds emphasized that international cooperation remains “critical” in combating human smuggling networks.
“The people smugglers operate over thousands of miles and numerous borders,” he said. “So what we are interested in is the hard yards of delivery on this. There isn’t a silver bullet.”
Official data revealed that 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June — the highest number recorded for any 12-month period since 2001. Labour says it has deported over 35,000 failed asylum seekers since it regained power in July 2024.
The use of hotels to house asylum seekers, a policy introduced under the Conservative government, has fueled widespread public anger. As of March, 32,345 asylum seekers were being temporarily housed in hotels across the UK.
These facilities have become flashpoints for anti-immigration demonstrations, most of which have remained peaceful under heavy police surveillance.
Recent polling by YouGov showed that 71 percent of voters believe Prime Minister Starmer is handling the asylum hotel issue poorly, a view shared by 56 percent of Labour supporters.
What you should know
The debate over the ECHR highlights the tension between domestic political promises and international cooperation on migration.
While Reform UK’s proposals resonate with growing public discontent, critics argue that leaving the treaty could isolate Britain diplomatically and make tackling cross-border smuggling networks even more difficult.
