Aspiring Conservative Members of Parliament must fundamentally believe in the necessity of the United Kingdom leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to be considered as candidates for the next general election, according to Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp. He warned that prominent figures within the party's history who supported the ECHR would not be permitted to stand under current policy.
Philp's remarks follow a recent move by party leader Kemi Badenoch to vet candidates, rejecting those with more liberal stances on issues such as human rights and Net Zero targets. Badenoch has stated that all potential candidates must demonstrate an ability to 'deliver radical change' and show that the party has learned from its past electoral defeats.
"On this issue yes, because it is so foundational it is so fundamental," Philp said in an interview, responding to a question about whether former Home Secretary Kenneth Clarke, a past supporter of the ECHR, would be barred from standing today. Philp asserted that the ECHR hinders the UK's ability to control its borders and deport foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, such as child sexual offenses.
"The shadow cabinet has unanimously decided, rightly, that we need to leave the ECHR to control our border, to protect our veterans and so on," Philp added. He emphasized that voters should know what to expect from a Conservative government.
Since assuming leadership in November 2024, Badenoch has rescinded Net Zero targets and advocated for the UK's withdrawal from the ECHR. She has initiated a rigorous selection process for candidates, receiving over 2,000 applications. Badenoch indicated that decisions on these applications would begin soon, with some individuals, including former MPs, expected to be unsuccessful.
"Candidate selection is not just 'admin', nor is it simply a favour to former colleagues," Badenoch wrote in The Telegraph. "It is one of the first serious tests of whether the Conservative Party has actually learnt from defeat. We are building a team that can govern the country and deliver radical change."
Former Home Secretary Lord Clarke has previously criticized the Conservative party's stance on the ECHR. In 2024, he described it as "a most important international institution," while acknowledging that it required reform.