Rishi Sunak has slapped down a ‘stupid’ question about the European Court of Human Rights.
In a bizarre Parliamentary question, Scottish MP Patrick Grady asked the Prime Minister “for what reasons he considers the European Court of Human Rights to be a foreign court”.
And Mr Sunak bluntly responded: “Because it is based in Strasbourg”.
Tory MP Jonathan Gullis declared it proved the adage of ‘there is no such thing as a stupid question’ may not be true.
Mr Sunak has repeatedly warned the ECHR he will not let them repeatedly ground deportation flights to Rwanda.
In June 2022, the ECHR issued an injunction – known as interim measures under Rule 39 – to prevent the first deportations of asylum seekers to the East African nation. It was issued in the evening, leading to it being dubbed a “pyjama injunction”.
Ever since, the Government’s flagship scheme to end the Channel migrant crisis has been gridlocked in the courts.
And Rishi Sunak was forced to draw up emergency legislation after the Supreme Court ruled the Rwanda Scheme was illegal.
The Prime Minister has also introduced – through the Rwanda Bill – new powers to allow ministers to ignore the interim measures – and insisted the move was legal.
Mr Sunak is under pressure from some within his own party to quit the ECHR.
Conservative former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns said leaving the ECHR would allow the Government to deport failed asylum seekers “for free” rather than offer them £3,000.
But the PM told his backbenchers during Prime Ministers’ Questions: “We must do everything we can to secure our borders and ensure that those who come here illegally do not have the ability to stay.
“That’s why our Rwanda scheme and legislation is so important and what I’ve said repeatedly and will happily say to her again is I will not let a foreign court block our ability to send people to Rwanda when the time comes.”
