Rishi Sunak gave a blunt answer to a parliamentary question by an SNP MP on foreign courts.
Glasgow North MP Patrick Grady submitted a written question to the Prime Minister on “whether he considers the International Criminal Court to be a foreign court”.
Mr Sunak replied: “The clue is in the name.”
Mr Grady last month tabled a similar question about the European Court of Human Rights.
He asked the Prime Minister “for what reasons he considers the European Court of Human Rights to be a foreign court”.
Mr Sunak gave a curt response, saying: “Because it is based in Strasbourg.”
Tory MP Jonathan Gullis said it proved the adage of “there is no such thing as a stupid question” may not be true.
It comes as the Prime Minister is facing growing pressure from Tory MPs to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which is ruled on by the European Court of Human Rights.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman called for the UK to quit the international human rights treaty in a speech to the National Conservatism conference in Brussels on Tuesday.
She attacked the ECHR as incompatible with parliamentary democracy and the court charged with enforcing it as “profoundly undemocratic and politicised”.
But she said Britain lacks the “political will” to cut ties despite Mr Sunak’s recent suggestions that he would be willing to leave the convention if it thwarts the Rwanda policy.
