What is the echr?

The European Convention on Human Rights, or ECHR, is an international treaty that protects basic rights. These include the right to life, a fair trial, free expression and freedom from torture. It was drafted in 1950 by the Council of Europe, with major British input. It is separate from the European Union.

The UK was one of the first countries to ratify the Convention in 1951, and it came into force in 1953. It is overseen by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The court hears cases against the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. Leaving the EU did not affect the UK's membership. Its judges are elected by the Council of Europe.

The Human Rights Act 1998, in force since 2000, lets people rely on Convention rights in UK courts. UK judges cannot strike down Acts of Parliament, but they can declare them incompatible with the Convention. The ECHR is also written into the Good Friday Agreement and post-Brexit trade and security deals with the EU. The UK loses only a small share of Strasbourg cases.

The ECHR has become a major political dividing line. Critics argue the Strasbourg court has stretched rights too far, especially in deportation and asylum cases, and limits Parliament's control over borders. Reform UK and the Conservatives have said they would leave. Supporters argue it protects everyone's rights, and that leaving would harm Northern Ireland's peace settlement and the UK's international standing.