Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

European Convention on Human Rights: Belfast Agreement

Wednesday 7 January 2026 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK's membership of the European Convention on Human Rights is seen as crucial to the stability of the Belfast Agreement.
  • Advocates for leaving the ECHR have not addressed the potential risks to the Good Friday Agreement.
  • Calls to leave the ECHR could add to the challenges faced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ruth Jones Lab Newport West and Islwyn
Northern Ireland Brexit
Context

The Good Friday agreement is a legacy of the last Labour Government, which includes provisions underpinned by the European convention on human rights. There are concerns about opposition parties advocating leaving the ECHR.

Question

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK’s membership of the European convention on human rights on the Belfast agreement? The Good Friday agreement was indeed a proud legacy of the last Labour Government, so does he agree that the reckless approach adopted by Opposition parties towards the ECHR risks undermining the huge progress made since 1998?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)

I do agree with my hon. Friend, and it is clear that those advocating leaving the ECHR have not given any serious consideration to the implications for the Good Friday agreement. Indeed, when pressed on that in the summer, the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) noted that it could take years and years to solve, so that will not be at the forefront of what we do. I would simply say that that is not good enough, and that those who advocate leaving the ECHR need to reflect on what they are arguing for.

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Q2 Peter Lamb Lab Crawley
Northern Ireland Foreign Affairs
Context

There is global chaos around the world from politicians playing fast and loose with international law, particularly in relation to the European convention on human rights.

Question

Given the chaos around the world that is being experienced by politicians playing fast and loose with international law, it is deeply concerning that Conservative and Reform MPs are speaking so flippantly of the risks of violating the Good Friday agreement by leaving the European convention on human rights. Will the Secretary of State give his assessment of the risk of that?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)

As I have told the House before, I think it would be extremely irresponsible. As the House needs no reminding, the Good Friday agreement was very carefully negotiated between several parties, and it would be reckless for one party to march in and seek to remove one of its founding pillars.

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Q3 Jacob Collier Lab Burton and Uttoxeter
Northern Ireland Democracy & Elections
Context

The European convention on human rights is foundational to the Good Friday agreement. Reform and the Conservatives want to leave the ECHR, which puts at risk the Good Friday agreement.

Question

The European convention on human rights is foundational to the Good Friday agreement. Given that Reform and the Conservatives want to crash us out of the convention, does the Secretary of State agree that that would put at risk the Good Friday agreement and that they really ought to think again?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)

I agree with my hon. Friend. We need to remember that it is the Human Rights Act that gives all of us access to the rights and protections contained in the European convention on human rights. To leave it would put us alone in Europe, in the company of Russia and Belarus. Is that really where the Opposition want to be—welcomed with a pat on the back by President Putin?

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Q4 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
Policing & Resources Northern Ireland
Context

There is evidence that leaving the ECHR could have implications for policing in Northern Ireland.

Question

Our predecessor Committee took evidence that said that leaving the ECHR would have implications for policing in Northern Ireland. Does the Secretary of State agree that calls to leave the ECHR would add to the challenges faced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland? What assessment has he made of the potential impact?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)

I agree that it could have very wide-ranging implications for Northern Ireland in particular, as well as for the rest of the country. I have not made such an assessment, because that is not a policy that the Government advocate. It is for those proposing to leave the ECHR to answer the very fair question that my hon. Friend has just raised.

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