Britain Can Have ECHR or National Defence — never both

Public referendum needed as Westminster's commitment to European human rights law undermines military effectiveness

This issue won’t change until the public gets involved - the decision to remain wedded to this European institution is made by the same Westminster blob that surrendered to the IRA in the mid 80s and compounded that sin by awarding strategic victory to a murdering gang in the Belfast Agreement that had been defeated by the British military and the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC.

Tugendhat and others tried for years to bring this issue to everyone’s attention, but it is so deeply embedded in the collective psyche of government that politicians of any flavour cannot change this Left Wing, pacifist stance unless apolitical party puts the issue of the ECHR and its UK franchise, the 1998 Human Rights Act (HRA) in its manifesto and allows the public to decide.

Failing that, and given its importance, the public deserve a referendum on whether to allow soldiers to defend them by leaving the ECHR, which would have the effect of killing Blair’s beloved HRA, or remaining a signatory to the Treaty and effectively disarming Britain.

The Treaty and national defence cannot coexist — you can have one or the other.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/19/uk-armed-forces-lawfare-legal-creep-defeat/