No 10 does not rule out ECHR exit if European court blocks asylum bill

Sunak’s spokesperson refuses to say what will happen if court opposes plan to try to limit small boat crossings

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Downing Street has declined to rule out that the UK could withdraw from the European convention on human rights if it was seen as needed to stop small boat crossings, despite serious misgivings among some Conservative MPs.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson stressed that No 10 was confident a promised new bill to try to limit the number of refugees and migrants arriving unofficially would comply with international treaties, but refused to say what might happen if the European court opposed the plans.