Watch: New Dep PM Oliver Dowden more hardline than image?

Dominic Raab ‘is a man of his word’, said Oliver Dowden the new deputy PM on Sky News on Sunday.

Raab stepped down from his roles on Friday morning after a report into his conduct found he had acted in an “intimidating way” and was “unreasonably and persistently aggressive” in meetings.

He also told Camilla Tominey on GBNews: “My experience of working with Dominic Raab is that he is a man of his word and he said that if there was an adverse finding against him he would resign and the Prime Minister accepted that.”

Rule of law

But it was his comments on the European Court of Human Rights that has angered filmmaker Peter Stefanovic, who has created another hard-hitting video.

Dowden, the newly-appointed deputy to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said it was “right” for the leader of the Home Office to have discretional powers when considering interventions from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Dowden told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday the amendments added to the legislation would give the Home Secretary the ability to consider the “timeliness” of interventions from the ECHR.

Dowden said: “The Home Secretary will be given a discretion and ability to look at the circumstances of that order (Section or Rule 39) from the European Court of Human Rights and will, for example, cover factors such as the timeliness of the imposition of the order — so, for example, if it is done at last minute — and also the transparency of it.”

When asked again if he would allow the Home Office to ignore Strasbourg rulings, Dowden replied: “There will be a Section 39 discretion.

“Now, I’m not saying that will give the Home Secretary carte blanche to overrule rulings.

“What I would say is that we are engaging very closely with the European court, we are making very good progress.

“I think it is right that the Home Secretary should have a discretion, so, for example, we don’t have this situation where at the very last minute an order is imposed. Those are the kind of factors the Home Secretary will be able to consider.”

Watch

Peter shared the story and wrote: “This should send the country into shock and outrage. If you watch just one thing today make it this.”

This should send the country into shock and outrage. If you watch just one thing today make it this pic.twitter.com/16DzZJQVE4

— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) April 23, 2023

Reactions

1.

I’m really frightened and still a bit in disbelief this is happening here!!

— 𝕊𝕥𝕖𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕠 🍕🎵🌈🎮😸 (@Steffar0) April 23, 2023

2.

If she has 'discretion' then she has carte blanche.

Carte blanche – full discretionary power

— John Hilton (@oldmanbigkid) April 23, 2023

3.

https://twitter.com/TrialByTruth/status/1650141182993784835

4.

It’s shocking Peter and needs to be stopped. But where is labour’s opposition to this I’ve not seen a single objection and yet you are blind to it. The country is in deep trouble and our main parties are collaborating one though apparently is above criticism from you

— phdrob (@phdrob1) April 23, 2023

5.

The continuing Orban-isation of the UK government.

— Neal McTaggart 🍉 (@NealMcTaggart) April 23, 2023

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