Labour MPs Reaffirm ECHR Commitment, Reject Second Referendum

Tories have pointed to the absence of immigration policy from Starmer’s speech today, as the major parties set a dividing line on closer alignment with Europe

Northern Ireland shadow secretary Hilary Benn speaking during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Picture taken: October 9, 2023. Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

LIVERPOOL—Prominent Labour MPs have reiterated their commitment to closer ties with the single market and upholding Britain’s participation in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), without resorting to a second referendum if they assume power.

Speaking yesterday at a Centre for European Reform event, Hilary Benn, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, criticised the Conservative Party’s portrayal of the ECHR as an obstacle, stating, “It is the very opposite. It is the basis on which our rights are protected.”

Stella Creasy, former Shadow Minister, emphasised the changing landscape in Europe and rejected the notion of being “all in or all out” of Europe.

Speaking at a packed fringe event hosted by the Centre for European Reform, the Labour heavyweights were joined by European Union Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Pedro Serrani.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has urged the Conservative government to withdraw the UK from the ECHR.

Reaffirming Labour’s commitment to the ECHR and questioning Mr. Benn said: “But how have we got to this point…

“Where this extraordinary achievement, which British lawyers, along with lawyers from lots of other countries, helped to create out of the ashes of the Second World War is somehow being presented by one wing of the Conservative Party, as an obstacle to protection of the rights of British citizens.

“It is the very opposite. It is the basis on which our rights are protected. It is there for every single one of us. And it is extraordinary that bits of the Conservative Party have gotten themselves into this place.”

Mr. Benn added: “For me, it shows how they have totally, totally lost the plot, which is why we have to make sure that we do the election.”

‘Grounds to Be Hopeful’

Speaking alongside him, Ms. Creasy said: “I think there are grounds to be very hopeful.”

“If you look at what’s happening in Europe—Europe does not stand still. It is a different entity to the one that we left. There are all sorts of things happening.

“Look at, for example, what’s been done with Moldova. The idea that it’s ‘all in or all out’ just isn’t the case.”

Despite calling for “humility” in future negotiations with the EU, Ms. Creasy also stated that overturning Brexit was “not on the cards.”

The Tories have ramped up rhetoric on immigration in recent weeks, with Ms. Braverman warning of a potential “hurricane” of immigration and vowing to win “the war” on small boats.

Douglas Alexander, the former chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told The Epoch Times that Brussels was taking a “new approach” to cooperation on immigration.

Responding to a question on Labour’s plan to tackle immigration in collaboration with the EU, Mr. Alexander said: “[With] Brussels recently taking a fundamentally new approach, not least to the challenge that we face in relation to the Channel. But in that sense, we’ve got a textbook example of where poor relationships have a poor consequence for us.”

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pledged to scrap the controversial asylum policy to forcibly remove migrants to Rwanda, criticising it as “hugely expensive” and ineffective.

Mr. Starmer has promised to scrap it even if the Supreme Court deems it legal.

Immigration Absent From Starmer’s Speech

However, Labour’s plans for immigration were conspicuously absent from Mr. Starmer’s keynote speech today.

While the Labour leader promised “a decade of national renewal” if Labour won at the next election, senior Tories were quick to point out that he had failed to mention immigration.

Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands told media that Mr. Starmer had “failed to say anything about how he would tackle illegal immigration.”

Referring to a security breach in which a protestor covered Mr. Starmer in glitter ahead of his speech, Mr. Hands added: “Sir Keir just offers more of the same short-term political decision-making of the last 30 years that has failed Britain—all glitter, no substance.”