Starmer pushes EU human rights reform on migration
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on European leaders to reform human rights laws to make it easier to deport illegal migrants, ahead of high-level talks on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Starmer’s push comes as the UK government plans to limit the application of the “right to family life” to prevent asylum seekers from avoiding deportation. He advocates updating the ECHR to tackle mass migration, combat people smuggling, and establish human-rights-compliant “returns hubs” for migrants with no legal right to stay in Europe, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
The discussions in Strasbourg, involving Justice Secretary David Lammy and Attorney General Lord Hermer, will also examine Articles 3 and 8, covering the ban on inhumane treatment and family life rights. Officials aim for a political declaration by spring 2026 to clarify the convention’s application in migration cases.
Critics argue that claims about the ECHR blocking deportations are exaggerated, while supporters warn that loosening human rights protections could undermine legal safeguards. Starmer said reforms are about balancing compassion with law and order, not political populism.
The talks follow pressure from nine member states, led by Italy and Denmark, to modernize the ECHR, amid ongoing migration challenges across Europe.
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