Cllr Sam Murray has written the following opinion piece article in the Ipswich Star explaining why it's time for the UK to leave the ECHR.
It is time to leave the ECHR and get a handle on immigration.
Britain’s place within the European Convention on Human Rights was, at its inception, a proud and principled commitment. Formed in the aftermath of World War II, the Convention represented a united stand for dignity, liberty, and justice. It was drafted with British influence and inspired by values we still hold dear. For years, it served as a vital safeguard against oppression and a benchmark for civilised democracies.
However, over time, the Convention’s application has shifted. What was once a shield for the vulnerable has increasingly become a legal instrument that undermines our ability to protect public safety and national security. Cases involving criminals, traffickers, and those abusing the asylum system raise serious concerns about whether the ECHR still serves Britain’s best interests.
A stark example is Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, an Afghan who arrived in the UK illegally, pretending to be a 14-year-old orphan. In truth, he was 21 and wanted for double murder in Serbia. Despite his background and fraudulent identity, the system allowed him to remain. In 2022, he stabbed and killed Tom Roberts, an aspiring Royal Marine, in Bournemouth. A young man who wanted to serve this country lost his life because our legal framework prioritised the rights of a foreign criminal over public safety.
The Home Office is repeatedly blocked from deporting foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes because of appeals citing the right to a family life under Article 8 of the ECHR. This means violent offenders can stay in the UK, protected by laws never meant to defend the guilty.
There have been cases where individuals fabricated claims, such as false assertions of sexuality, to avoid deportation. In one recent example, a Sri Lankan paedophile delayed deportation for years by claiming he would face persecution due to his sexuality (The Times). In my view a paedophile should never have rights above children, regardless of their preferences. These cases show how ECHR protections, meant for the vulnerable, are now exploited by those manipulating the system.
If we think this is only a problem in large cities, we are wrong. In Ipswich, an asylum seeker who claimed to be 15 was enrolled in a local school. He was later revealed to be an adult, potentially as old as 30. He lied about his age and identity to enter education alongside our children. When safeguarding and immigration law clash, it is too often the British public that is left exposed. The system no longer works. Human rights are being used not to protect the innocent, but to shield the dangerous. And yet we are told our hands are tied because Strasbourg says so.
We have had some preventative policies. The Rwanda policy proved effective. In 2023, small boat crossings dropped by 36 percent while it remained a credible deterrent. Since Labour scrapped the scheme, those gains have reversed. More than 1,600 people arrived in one weekend in July 2025 alone, one of the highest totals ever recorded. Without the threat of consequence, the crossings continue, and smugglers thrive.
Critics claim that leaving the ECHR would be regressive or dangerous. But Britain had human rights protections long before the ECHR existed. Our laws and centuries of common law and parliamentary oversight form the backbone of our liberties. To suggest we cannot be trusted to defend rights without foreign judges is not just insulting, it is wrong.
Of course, genuine refugees fleeing persecution deserve compassion. Britain should always offer that. But the line between protection and exploitation has become dangerously blurred. When false claims and criminal records are no longer grounds for removal, something has gone very wrong. It is not just to leave British families grieving while we argue over the rights of those who lied to get here.
The uncomfortable truth is that the safety and wellbeing of our country must come first. That doesn’t mean we stop caring about human rights. It means we also value the rights of our own citizens to feel safe, to receive justice, and to expect their government to act in their interest. We don’t need to be told how to be decent by Strasbourg. We already are. But we must also be firm.
Arnold Schwarzenegger recently said on The View that when he moved to America, he respected the country, learned the language, followed the laws, and embraced the culture. He said immigrants should be guests in their host country and should not try to change it. That sums it up perfectly. And just like a guest in our home, if you are not living as a guest by our rules and our laws, we must be able to ask you to leave. The only way we can do that is by leaving the ECHR.