The $30 million toe in the water

Labour's commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) has come under fire from the Conservatives and Reform UK, who have vowed to quit the ECHR if they win power at the next general election. The move is aimed at dealing with illegal immigration, but Labour's Attorney General Richard Hermer has accused the parties of 'letting people drown' in the Channel.

Hermer made the remarks as he gave a forceful defence of Labour's commitment to the ECHR, highlighting the Government's 'one in, one out' immigration agreement with France, as well as a separate 'shallow waters' deal aimed at stopping so-called 'taxi boats' used by people smugglers.

The Attorney General pointed to the Government's pact with Germany to disrupt the supply of small boats to northern France and Belgium,saying that 'thousands of people' had been stopped in shallow waters due to the Government's action.

Why 4,000 unsold units became the prize

The issue of human rights laws and their impact on illegal migration has been a contentious one in the UK,with the Conservatives and Reform UK arguing that quitting the ECHR would allow them to deal more effectively with the issue. However, Hermer has countered that this approach would only lead to more deaths in the Channel.

'Those deals are because we are in the Council of Europe,' Hermer said, adding that the agreements 'would go' if the UK quit the ECHR. He continued, 'What Reform and the Tories have to answer is - what would you do?'

Challenged about Conservative and Reform promises to swiftly deport those who illegally arrive in the UK, Hermer said, 'Well, I think what they mean by that is they let people drown in the water, and that is not a British way to deal with it .'

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The issue of human rights laws and their impact on illegal migration has been a contentious one in the UK, with the Conservatives and Reform UK arguing that quitting the ECHR would allow them to deal more effectively with the issue. However, Hermer has countered that this approach would only lead to more deaths in the Channel.

Pressed on whether he was suggesting Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wanted people to drown in the Channel, Hermer replied, 'No,no. I think if you hear some of the voices even to the Right of Kemi Badenoch, some of the kind of language and some of the rhetoric is deeply, deeply concerning.'

The kind of disregard for the humanity of people. But what I am saying is - it's only through that international cooperation that we're going to be able to deal effectively with small boats.

Tehran's two-track response

The issue of human rihgts laws and their impact on illegal migration has been a contentious one in the UK, with the Conservatives and Reform UK arguing that quitting the ECHR would allow them to deal more effectively with the issue. However, Hermer has countered that this approach would only lead to more deaths in the Channel.

A spokesperson for Lord Hermer said, 'The Attorney General repeatedly argues that this Government has a steely determination to tackle illegal immigration, and this is not in tension with upholding our human rights obligations.'

The Attorney also makes clear his concern about how some on the hard-Right are using dehumanising rhetoric about migrants, and that this is not the British way.