"Arguments over the role of the European convention on human rights in asylum policy express a tension between the politics of an ever-changing world and the principle of immutable humanitarian values. When Sir Keir Starmer observes that population flows in 2025 are different to conditions 75 years ago, when the ECHR was drafted, and that governments have a duty to adapt to the change, he is responding to political reality."
"The difficulty, as Sir Keir has found, lies in articulating a political solution that doesn't end up parroting the arguments of populist wreckers and thereby advancing their agenda. This is the danger inherent in the prime minister's ambition to modernise interpretations of ECHR articles relating to torture and entitlement to a family life. The claim is that, while the humanitarian essence of those protections is sacrosanct, they are applied too loosely."
Calls to modernise interpretations of the European Convention on Human Rights aim to adapt asylum rules to changed migration flows and political realities. Concerns focus on perceived loose application of protections against torture and the right to family life, and on economic migrants exploiting asylum mechanisms. Progressive governments face political risks if they deny migration challenges, potentially ceding ground to demagogues seeking to dismantle refugee safeguards. The distinction between economic migration and genuine persecution remains blurred, and volume increases reflect globalisation and easier cross-border movement. Any legal reform must balance state control with preservation of core humanitarian protections.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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