Theresa May on EU Referendum: 'UK Should Withdraw From Convention on Human Rights'

Theresa May, UK Home Secretary, believes that Britain must withdraw from the European convention on human rights despite the result of the European Union referendum. However, the home secretary's opinion was met with some negative reaction, including that of Charles Falconer, the shadow justice secretary, calling it as misguided.

The British Conservative politician used a speech in central London to insist that it was the convention, instead of the EU, that had led the extremist Abu Hamza's extradition to be postponed for years, which had nearly stopped the radical Abu Qatada's deportation.

According to May, the ECHR could tie the parliament's hands, contribute nothing to prosperity, provide less security by disallowing the deportation of dangerous foreign individuals, and yet does not do anything to change Russia's attitude on the issue of human rights, The Guardian reported.  She also added that in spite of the EU referendum, in order to reform the human rights laws in the country, it is not the EU they must leave, but the ECHR as well as the jurisdiction of its court.

The home secretary, who is being eyed to be the future Tory head, did not only use the speech to extend her support to the EU's membership, but also to call out the party's Eurosceptic wing. However, her comments have put her on a conflict with other cabinet members like Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who already expressed his plans for a British bill of rights, in accordance to Britain's stay in the convention.

Labour's Falconer also accused May of giving up the country's commitment to human rights for her own leadership ambitions. He called the comment as ignorant, since one has to be an ECHR member in order to become an EU member, BBC News reported.

Aside from the Labour, Grieve also expressed his disappointment over May's comment, citing its lack of comprehension regarding the positive effect of ECHR to the EU. He further accused the home secretary of trivializing the positive effect that the case of Abu Qatada had on the justice system of Jordan, and noted that Abu Hamza and Qatada were removed.