Former home secretary Suella Braverman and ex-Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost are poised to join forces with Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice at a London press conference, fueling speculation about high-profile defections from the Conservative Party. The event, titled “Why and how to leave the ECHR,” aims to galvanize support for the UK’s withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights—an agenda long championed by Braverman as a means to regain sovereignty and curb illegal immigration.
Mr. Tice took to social media to promote the event, underscoring its focus on reclaiming parliamentary control from what they dismiss as the overreach of international bodies. Braverman, MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, has been a vocal critic of the constraints imposed by the ECHR, particularly regarding illegal small boat crossings. Reform UK has made no secret of its desire to exit the convention—and other international agreements—arguing that these treaties hinder effective border controls and deportation measures. Even within the Conservative Party, figures like Kemi Badenoch are conducting inquiries into the feasibility of such a withdrawal, exposing the growing discomfort among Tories over the judiciary’s interference in immigration policy.
While Braverman has yet to explicitly confirm any party switch, political insiders widely anticipate a potential shift, given her open stance on reform policies aligned with Reform UK’s hardline agenda. In an interview on The Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast, Braverman acknowledged Reform’s rising polling success and refused to rule out joining the party, signaling her disillusionment with the current Tory leadership. Her husband, Rael Braverman, briefly associated with Reform before stepping back amid controversy over her immigration record when she served as home secretary—highlighting the deepening cracks within the conservative establishment.
Frost’s reputation as a prominent Brexit advocate and critic of the Conservative Party’s recent failures makes him a natural ally for Reform UK’s anti-establishment crusade. He has expressed openness to contest future elections under Reform’s banner, frustrated with the party’s inability to address the foundational issues that cost them voter support. His departure would be another major blow for the Conservatives, joining other high-profile figures like Nadine Dorries and a wave of defected ex-MPs who see Reform UK as the only vehicle capable of delivering a truly nationalist, sovereignty-first agenda.
Braverman’s push to exit the ECHR is bolstered by a comprehensive legal roadmap she recently unveiled, outlining steps to amend the Belfast Agreement to remove references to the convention and adopt domestic human rights principles. She views the ECHR as the embodiment of judicial imperialism—a tool used by international courts to limit Britain’s ability to control borders and deport criminals. For her, regaining control of human rights law is vital for combating illegal migration and addressing what she describes as systemic failures of the current system.
Reform UK has also escalated its stance on immigration beyond the ECHR, calling for the UK to renegotiate or withdraw from the 1951 UN Refugee Convention altogether. Richard Tice has condemned current asylum policies as magnets for illegal crossings and disparaged multiculturalism as diluting British identity. These tough-on-immigration messages resonate strongly with voters fed up with porous borders, unchecked migration, and the perceived failure of establishment parties to uphold Britain’s sovereignty—especially when the current government, led by Rishi Sunak, refuses to contemplate leaving the ECHR despite mounting pressure from the right.
Sunak’s steadfast refusal to pursue ECHR withdrawal has drawn considerable ire from Reform UK and other right-wing factions. They argue that the convention often hampers law enforcement and prioritizes foreign interests over British victims—an impediment that must be broken if the UK is to truly control its borders. Braverman and her allies advocate for radical measures, including mass tagging of asylum seekers and scrapping ineffective legal constraints, even if such steps provoke clashes with international bodies.
Nigel Farage, Reform UK’s founder, has openly welcomed Braverman’s potential affiliation, seeing her as a kindred spirit on immigration and sovereignty issues. Her inclusion would reinforce Reform UK’s positioning as the only viable party pushing a hardline, no-nonsense agenda that prioritizes British sovereignty above diplomatic niceties. Such defections could mark a seismic shift on the right, signaling that Reform UK is poised to dominate as the true voice of patriotic, sovereignty-focused voters disillusioned with what they see as a declining Conservative consensus.
As tensions escalate over Britain’s relationship with the ECHR and international law, the forthcoming press conference featuring Braverman, Frost, and Tice is set to become a pivotal moment. It exemplifies a mounting rebellion from within Tory ranks and underscores the growing appeal of Reform UK’s uncompromising stance on immigration and national sovereignty—a challenge that the current government would do well to heed before they are left behind in a political realignment driven by hardline reformers.
Source: Noah Wire Services