Jake Richards said that anyone who says pulling out of the European Convention on Human Rights will help stop small boats is telliing lies
Conservatives insist pulling out of the ECHR is necessary to tackle the small boats crisis (Image: Getty Images)
Labour has been accused of being in a state of “complete and utter denial” after Justice Minister Jake Richards was recorded accusing anyone who says leaving the European Convention on Human Rights will help stop small boats in the Channel of “lying”. At last week’s Labour conference in Liverpool, Mr Richards, who served as a barrister until entering Parliament in 2024, was heard blasting those who argue the UK should leave the ECHR.
He said: “Leaving the ECHR will not help us tackle this small boat crisis one jot, and anyone who says so is lying. And it’s really important we kind of are very strong on that.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp hit back, saying: “Labour are in complete and utter denial. As long as we stay shackled to the ECHR, foreign criminals can use the courts to block deportation, meaning we will never be able to deter illegal Channel crossings from happening. Britain needs the power to deport foreign criminals and stop the boats, and only the Conservatives have done the work needed to get us out of the treaties standing in the way.”
Jake Richards is a Justice Minister and Labour MP for Rother Valley (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
A Home Office spokesperson responded, saying: “We are reforming our human rights laws to prevent them being abused by foreign criminals with no right to be in the UK. This includes domestic legislation to tighten the application of the European Convention on Human Rights in immigration cases, and working with European partners to ensure it remains fit for modern migration challenges.”