UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may face a rebellion within his Cabinet if he intends to withdraw from Europe’s human rights accord. According to a recent study, at least twelve members of the Cabinet would oppose withdrawing from the treaty and the Strasbourg court. Jeremy Hunt, James Cleverly, Alex Chalk, and Chris Heaton-Harris are among the dozen individuals who have expressed skepticism.
In his comments last week, Sunak hinted that he is considering including a reform vow in the party’s electoral platform. Nonetheless, the prime minister is not expected to choose a firm pledge to leave the convention due to the divisions within the Conservative Party. Alternatively, he might assure the public that the UK’s membership would be reconsidered if other initiatives are similarly obstructed by human rights legislation to the Rwandan asylum plan.
Twenty-two members of the Cabinet, including the prime minister and nine other ministers, will also be present. Mr. Chalk, a lawyer, and Lord Chancellor, has maintained his stance on the ECHR, having previously said that he “very much supports” it. Home Secretary Mr. Cleverly is believed to have a “practical objection” to withdrawing from the pact due to the potential harm it may do to collaborative efforts with other nations. Rumor has it that Chris Heaton-Harris, the secretary for Northern Ireland, is worried about what this may mean for the Good Friday Agreement.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins is a former lawyer, and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is also considered opposed to exiting the ECHR. Many also assume that Attorney General Victoria Prentis, the highest-ranking government lawyer, is against the proposal. Among those who are said to favor or be open to exiting the ECHR are the following secretaries: Kemi Badenoch for business, Michael Gove for communities, Steve Barclay for the environment, and David TC Davies for Wales.
Conservatives on the moderate side, who outnumber those on the extreme right, will fight tooth and nail against any proposal to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights. The One Nation organization has previously shown its mettle in opposition to government legal amendments associated with the Rwanda plan. A proposal to withdraw from the ECHR would be “disastrous for the Conservative party,” according to Sir Robert Buckland, a former justice minister.
