Britain could be grouped alongside Russia and Belarus if it withdraws from the European Convention on Human Rights, the Council of Europe’s Secretary General warned this week. The institution has faced mounting criticism for blocking deportations of criminal migrants, including terrorists and sex offenders.
Council Chief Issues Warning
Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, told reporters Britain would join a small group of European nations outside the Convention if it exits. Russia was expelled from the organization in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, while Belarus never joined. The warning comes as British politicians debate the Convention’s role in immigration enforcement and national sovereignty.
Immigration Battles Drive Debate
The European Court of Human Rights blocked a 2022 deportation flight to Rwanda, derailing plans to send asylum seekers to processing centers in the African nation. The ruling triggered years of legal battles before Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped the program in 2024. British officials estimate the Convention has forced them to monitor approximately 170 dangerous migrants rather than deport them, with half involved in terrorism or extremist activities.
Political Pressure Mounts
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has championed withdrawal from the Convention, arguing it prevents Britain from fully controlling its borders after Brexit. The Conservative Party now supports leaving the institution if returned to power. Labour maintains that reforming the Convention from within offers better results than withdrawal. A summit scheduled for May 15 in Moldova will address potential reforms, though Berset acknowledged meaningful agreement remains unlikely at this meeting.
Local Communities Affected
The government cited the Convention last year when residents of Epping demanded closure of a migrant hotel after an Ethiopian national staying there sexually assaulted a local 14-year-old girl. Officials argued their obligations under the Convention required them to continue housing migrants at the facility. The incident highlighted tensions between international legal commitments and local safety concerns across Britain.
