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| David Cameron at odds with Michael Gove and Theresa May over human rights in first Cabinet split of new Tory Government | David Cameron at odds with Michael Gove and Theresa May over human rights in first Cabinet split of new Tory Government |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| David Cameron has defied two of his top Cabinet ministers by ruling out withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, according to a senior government source. | David Cameron has defied two of his top Cabinet ministers by ruling out withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, according to a senior government source. |
| Theresa May, the Home Secretary, and Justice Secretary Michael Gove believe that pulling out of the convention is the “only solution” of re-establishing the supremacy of British Courts, the Daily Telegraph reported. | Theresa May, the Home Secretary, and Justice Secretary Michael Gove believe that pulling out of the convention is the “only solution” of re-establishing the supremacy of British Courts, the Daily Telegraph reported. |
| But the Prime Minister wants to pursue a “half-way” house. This would see Britain remaining as a signatory of the ECHR – an international treaty signed in the 1950s to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms on the continent – but would still repeal the Human Rights Act, which enshrined the convention into British law in 1998. | But the Prime Minister wants to pursue a “half-way” house. This would see Britain remaining as a signatory of the ECHR – an international treaty signed in the 1950s to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms on the continent – but would still repeal the Human Rights Act, which enshrined the convention into British law in 1998. |
| The PM's position is at odds with Theresa May and Michael Gove, who believe leaving the ECHR is the only solution to establishing the supremacy of British courts | The PM's position is at odds with Theresa May and Michael Gove, who believe leaving the ECHR is the only solution to establishing the supremacy of British courts |
| The Conservative manifesto pledged to replace the act with a British bill of rights, which they believe will stop terrorists and serious foreign criminals from using "spurious" human rights defences to prevent deportation. | The Conservative manifesto pledged to replace the act with a British bill of rights, which they believe will stop terrorists and serious foreign criminals from using "spurious" human rights defences to prevent deportation. |
| However the plans were put on hold and not included in last week’s Queen’s Speech because of legal complications and concerns it would not be backed by a majority of MPs in the House of Commons. | However the plans were put on hold and not included in last week’s Queen’s Speech because of legal complications and concerns it would not be backed by a majority of MPs in the House of Commons. |
| A senior government source told the Daily Telegraph: "Withdrawal is not going to happen. Michael Gove and Theresa May think it's the only solution but David Cameron's clear this is off the table. | A senior government source told the Daily Telegraph: "Withdrawal is not going to happen. Michael Gove and Theresa May think it's the only solution but David Cameron's clear this is off the table. |
| "The British bill of rights could mitigate the worst excesses of the human rights act but it won't change the fundamentals." | "The British bill of rights could mitigate the worst excesses of the human rights act but it won't change the fundamentals." |
| Britain played a key role in establishing the ECHR at a time when Europe was coming to terms with the atrocities carried out by the Nazis during the Second World War, but the Conservatives now believe it has been used for "mission creep" by the European Court of Justice - the body that enforces the convention - to fulfill more political purposes. | Britain played a key role in establishing the ECHR at a time when Europe was coming to terms with the atrocities carried out by the Nazis during the Second World War, but the Conservatives now believe it has been used for "mission creep" by the European Court of Justice - the body that enforces the convention - to fulfill more political purposes. |
| Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve has questioned what the Conservative party is trying to achieve through its plan to replace the Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights Responding to reports of the row, a Downing Street spokesman said: "The Government's policy is as set out in the manifesto, and that is shared by Theresa May, the Prime Minister and indeed the whole cabinet." Spokesmen for Mr Gove and Mrs May declined to comment. | Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve has questioned what the Conservative party is trying to achieve through its plan to replace the Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights Responding to reports of the row, a Downing Street spokesman said: "The Government's policy is as set out in the manifesto, and that is shared by Theresa May, the Prime Minister and indeed the whole cabinet." Spokesmen for Mr Gove and Mrs May declined to comment. |
| The Conservative party’s manifesto insisted the new British bill of rights would “remain faithful to the basic principles of human rights, which we signed up to in the original European convention on human rights”. However it did not rule out the prospect of withdrawal from the ECHR. | The Conservative party’s manifesto insisted the new British bill of rights would “remain faithful to the basic principles of human rights, which we signed up to in the original European convention on human rights”. However it did not rule out the prospect of withdrawal from the ECHR. |
| Employment minister Priti Patel, who is to chair a review of childcare funding, denied there was a Cabinet split. “I can categorically say that there is no row and that we are committed, as the Prime Minister said last week when responding to the Queen’s Speech, that we are committed to delivering a British Bill of Rights," she said. "That is something that we will do.” | |
| The plans have attracted criticism from around the world, with a UN official warning that Britain risks following the example of Nazi Germany if it withdrew from the ECHR. | The plans have attracted criticism from around the world, with a UN official warning that Britain risks following the example of Nazi Germany if it withdrew from the ECHR. |
| Professor Crépeau, a Canadian academic, said: "We have to remember the 1930s and how the rights of the Jews were restricted in Germany and then the rights of the whole German people. | Professor Crépeau, a Canadian academic, said: "We have to remember the 1930s and how the rights of the Jews were restricted in Germany and then the rights of the whole German people. |
| "I mean, countries that go down the path of reducing the rights of one category of people usually don’t stop there." | "I mean, countries that go down the path of reducing the rights of one category of people usually don’t stop there." |