On 6 June The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party, gave a speech in RUSI’s Library.
The address outlined proposals to form a new policy commission to examine whether the United Kingdom’s existing international agreements, such as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), restrict the ability of the UK parliament to implement immigration policies and deliver secure national borders.
In her speech, titled Restoring parliamentary democracy: how tackling lawfare can make Britain fairer, more secure and more prosperous, the Conservative leader said the proposed commission would consider 'the growth of lawfare' and whether 'our elected representatives can implement policies without the constant threat of legal challenge'.
She said: 'I won't commit my Party to leaving the ECHR or other treaties without a clear plan to do so and without a full understanding of all the consequences. We saw that holding a referendum without a plan to get Brexit done, led to years of wrangling and endless arguments, until we got it sorted in 2019. We cannot go through that again.'
She added: 'I want us to fully understand and debate what the unintended consequences of that decision might be and understand what issues will still remain unresolved even if we leave. It is very important for our country that we get this right. We must look before we leap. We must be sure of our footing and sure of where we will land. We start from the position that Governments need to be able to make decisions for the public good.'
The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP assumed her current role in November 2024. She previously held a number of ministerial appointments in the last Conservative government, including Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, and Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade.