Labour civil war bubbles as Keir Starmer faces growing backlash over ECHR

Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls from inside his Labour Party to reform the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to facilitate the deportation of more migrants. Jo White, leader of the Red Wall Caucus of Labour MPs, called for the convention to be reviewed and the current asylum system to be overhauled.

The MP for Bassetlaw said: "I strongly believe that the ECHR has had its time. It was established over 60 years ago, and it is time for a review." She pinpointed article eight - the right to a family life - as one that needs to be "looked at and challenged" as it's being used to appeal rejected asylum claims in record numbers. Ms White called on the Government to ensure asylum seekers' applications are processed in their home countries to crack down on people smugglers exploiting them.

This comes after former Labour home secretary Jack Straw urged the Prime Minister to "decouple" Britain from the ECHR.

He said courts are "misusing" the convention and preventing the Government from deporting illegal immigrants and foreign criminals.

He told the Financial Times: "There is no doubt at all that the convention – and crucially its interpretation – is now being used in ways which were never, ever intended when the instrument was drafted in the late 40s and early 50s."

Mr Straw suggested that the Human Rights Act, which he helped draft, could be amended to state that courts don't have to take account of the ECHR - which he said would be a better option that withdrawing altogether.

Former Labour home secretary Lord Blunkett also told Sir Keir to "get a grip" on migration levels by suspending the ECHR.

He said the move would facilitate the deportation of thousands of rejected asylum seekers currently in hotels. He urged ministers to consider the "radical" approach, pointing to Germany as an example of where it has worked previously.

Lord Blunkett told BBC Radio 4: "I think we are going to have to look at not necessarily pulling out of the ECHR or 1951 UN [Refugee] Convention but perhaps temporarily suspending particular elements of it until we can actually get a grip.

"That would mean changing the appeal process because a lot of people who are stuck in accommodation at the moment have gone through the initial process, been rejected and the legal process allows them to appeal again and again.

"The Germans have done it, but only for three months. We may have to do it for six months in order to get a grip, to ensure the appeals process is not abused and to help the Government accelerate still further the number of people that are returning to their country of origin and getting them out of the country."