As the debate over whether the UK should remain in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) resurfaces, a senior Conservative figure has openly criticised those pushing to leave the agreement. Lord Patten, a former Conservative Party chair, has taken aim at anti-ECHR politicians within his own party.
Why Some Conservatives Want to Leave the ECHR
The ECHR has become a focal point of frustration for certain members of the Conservative Party. Robert Jenrick, one of the candidates competing to replace Rishi Sunak as party leader, has been particularly vocal about leaving the ECHR. Jenrick argues that quitting the court would help the UK manage immigration more effectively.
However, critics of this position, including Lord Patten, point out that leaving the ECHR could have serious consequences, particularly for the Good Friday Agreement, which relies on the court as part of its framework.
Lord Patten’s Strong Rebuttal
Lord Patten, who served as Conservative Party chairman in the 1990s and later as a European Commissioner under Tony Blair, didn’t hold back in his criticism. In an interview with LBC, he called the idea of leaving the ECHR “absolute nonsense,” and said that politicians pushing for it, like Robert Jenrick, are making the party “look weird.”
“It’s rubbish. It doesn’t align with the Good Friday Agreement. The argument to leave the ECHR is nonsense, and I’d vote for anyone fighting against this idea,” Patten said.
Public Isn’t Interested, Patten Says
Patten also emphasised that most voters aren’t concerned with leaving the ECHR. He believes that many other issues are of greater importance to the public, and that this focus on the ECHR distracts from what truly matters to voters. He likened the perception of anti-ECHR politicians to the way Donald Trump and JD Vance are viewed in the US, saying, “These things make the Conservatives look a bit weird.”
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