Nigel Farage, the newly elected MP for Clacton and leader of Reform UK, has called for a referendum on whether the UK should leave the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). In his maiden speech in the House of Commons, Farage argued that the ECHR had âcompletely outlived its usefulnessâ and that leaving it was essential to address the UK’s illegal migration crisis.
Farage highlighted that the Strasbourg court, whose rulings are binding on the UK, had previously blocked the Rwanda deportation scheme in June 2022. This scheme aimed to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda, but flights were halted by the ECHR just before takeoff. Farage asserted that only by leaving the ECHR could the UK effectively deport illegal migrants and thereby discourage them from paying smugglers.
To further this objective, Farage proposed a referendum on the UKâs membership in the ECHR. He suggested that such a vote would engage the public and increase political participation. Several senior Conservative figures, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, ex-Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, and former Prime Minister Liz Truss, also voiced their support for leaving the ECHR during the election campaign.
In his speech, Farage remarked on the scarcity of Brexit supporters in the current Parliament compared to the European Parliament. He expressed surprise at feeling more outnumbered as a Brexiteer in the Commons than he had been in the European Parliament. Farage labeled the current Parliament as a âRemainersâ Parliamentâ and speculated that many MPs were actually in favor of rejoining the EU.
Richard Tice, Farageâs deputy and the newly elected MP for Boston and Skegness, also addressed the Commons. He discussed the social issues in his constituency, including the impact of eastern European migrants and what he termed the “idiocy” of net zero policies. Tice criticized these policies for potentially blighting the countryside with infrastructure projects like pylons and solar farms.
Farage concluded his speech by emphasizing his commitment to improving the economic conditions in Clacton through attracting business investment and job opportunities. He acknowledged the challenges but pledged to do his utmost to bring prosperity to his constituency.
