Britain must LEAVE European Court of Human Rights to regain border control, says Theresa May's former head of staff

Britain will need to withdraw from the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) if we are to regain control of our borders, according to Theresa May’s former chief of staff.

Nick Timothy was discussing a report he authored for the Centre of Policy Studies which looks at how the Government might tackle the current migrant crisis.

Asked if we will have to leave the ECHR, he told GB News: “In the report, we make recommendations for things that could change in the application of human rights law consistent with continued membership.

“But it is our view that ultimately, we probably will have to leave the European Convention to do the things we need to do to regain control.”

In an interview with Emily Carver, he was asked about the Home Secretary view of the report’s proposals.

He said: “She says she doesn't agree with every proposal in it. And I think we can hazard a guess that the Government isn't about to introduce ID cards, which is one of our proposals.

“Obviously it's a big thing for the Home Secretary to write a foreword in such positive terms for a report that contains policies in this way.

Asked about abuse of the Modern Slavery Act, Mr Timothy said: “I think this is one particular part of the story. The Modern Slavery Act is good legislation. It's important legislation. It's designed to protect people from being trafficked and from being forced into labour against their will.

“Unfortunately, it is increasingly being used by people who are illegal immigrants or people whose asylum claims are not going as they had hoped.

“We have some proposals to tighten up the Modern Slavery Act by changing evidential thresholds, trying to prevent people from making claims in a kind of tactical way later on, and if necessary, whether there was evidence of serious widespread abuse, excluding nationalities from the provisions of the Act until order is regained.”

On Government funding pro-immigration charities and pressure groups, he told GB News: “The Government pays for certain services from some charities, which are completely legitimate and fine.

“But it is highly questionable that so much public money is going into organisations that are then capable of putting significant resources into challenging government policy and into stopping the removal of people who I think quite legitimately ministers conclude should have no right to be here.”