Ministers are considering ways to “tighten” the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to enhance their ability to deport those with no right to remain in the UK. Defence Secretary John Healey made the admission this morning as he confirmed that the Government was “looking” at how they could narrow the interpretation of the convention, particularly in regards to the article protecting the right to a family life.
The article has been used to justify several controversial decisions in recent months that have allowed asylum seekers to remain in the UK. Healey was speaking after a monumental day in Westminster on Friday, which saw the departure of Angela Rayner, followed by the removal of Yvette Cooper as Home Secretary in favour of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Asked about the Government’s approach to the ECHR, the Defence Secretary told Sky News: “We are looking at how we can tighten the interpretation and the application of the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly in areas like the right to family life and family joining.”
The removal of Cooper could be the catalyst for a change in approach to the migrant crisis, as record numbers of people continue to make their way across the English Channel and protests continue outside hotels housing asylum seekers.
An anonymous source told the Sunday Times that Ms Mahmood’s approach to the ECHR was that “nothing is off the table”, and that she would likely want reform of the convention.
The source went on to claim that Mahmood, who took the decision to release prisoners early into her tenure as Justice Secretary to prevent prisons from overflowing, will take a radical approach to the issue and the ECHR.
They added that she would “start with the unthinkable and work backwards”.
One such measure could include the use of disused military sites to house asylum seekers instead of hotels, a practise that costs the taxpayer £5.77 million per day on average.
When asked about plans to turn disused military sites into asylum processing centres, Healey told Sky News: “I have been putting military planners into their Border Command and into their planning for the future.
“We are looking at the potential use of military and non-military use sites for temporary accommodation for the people who come across on these small boats that may not have a right to be here or need to be processed rapidly before we can decide whether or not they should stay or whether or not we deport them, like we have done in record numbers over the last year.”