Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Lamb Excerpts

Wednesday 7th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ruth Jones (Newport West and Islwyn) (Lab)]

3. What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK’s membership of the European convention on human rights on the Belfast agreement.

[Peter Lamb (Crawley) (Lab)]

5. What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK’s membership of the European convention on human rights on the Belfast agreement.

[Jacob Collier (Burton and Uttoxeter) (Lab)]

7. What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK’s membership of the European convention on human rights on the Belfast agreement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Hilary Benn]

I do agree with my hon. Friend, and it is clear that those advocating leaving the ECHR have not given any serious consideration to the implications for the Good Friday agreement. Indeed, when pressed on that in the summer, the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) noted that it could take

“years and years to solve, so that will not be at the forefront of what we do.”

I would simply say that that is not good enough, and that those who advocate leaving the ECHR need to reflect on what they are arguing for.

[Peter Lamb]

Given the chaos around the world that is being experienced by politicians playing fast and loose with international law, it is deeply concerning that Conservative and Reform MPs are speaking so flippantly of the risks of violating the Good Friday agreement by leaving the European convention on human rights. Will the Secretary of State give his assessment of the risk of that?

[Hilary Benn]

As I have told the House before, I think it would be extremely irresponsible. As the House needs no reminding, the Good Friday agreement was very carefully negotiated between several parties, and it would be reckless for one party to march in and seek to remove one of its founding pillars.