Aspiring candidates for the Conservative Party must demonstrate a commitment to the United Kingdom leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), according to Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp. He asserted that this stance is now a 'fundamental' requirement for anyone seeking to stand for the party in the next general election.
Philp indicated that prominent figures in the party's past who supported the ECHR, such as Kenneth Clarke, would not be eligible to be candidates under the current policy. Clarke had previously described the ECHR as an "important international institution" that needed reform, a view that Philp suggested would disqualify him from standing today.
"The ECHR is stopping us from controlling our borders, it is stopping us from deporting foreign paedophiles," Philp stated in comments to the BBC's Today programme. He added that the shadow cabinet had unanimously decided that leaving the ECHR is necessary to regain control over borders and protect veterans.
This directive follows Kemi Badenoch, the party leader, initiating a review of potential candidates. Badenoch has reportedly rejected applicants who do not align with her policy shift, which includes advocating for the UK's withdrawal from the ECHR and abandoning Net Zero targets. Badenoch has stated that all prospective candidates must show they can "deliver radical change" and that rigorous tests are being applied to build a "government in waiting" after the party's significant defeat in the 2024 general election. She has indicated that decisions on candidate applications, including those from former MPs, are beginning to be issued.
Badenoch, who was elected leader in November 2024, has emphasized the need for the Conservative Party to demonstrate that it has "changed for the better" since its last electoral setback. The candidate selection process is being intensified over the summer, with more than 2,000 applications received.