Equality and Human Rights Commission Head Warns Against UK Leaving European Convention on Human Rights
Mary-Ann Stephenson, who became head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in December 2025, has stated that the UK leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) would be a mistake.
Stephenson emphasized that the ECHR forms part of a fundamental rights framework, and departing from it would weaken rights protections for everyone in the UK. She also warned against the demonization of migrants, noting that such attitudes harm both migrants and ethnic minority UK citizens.
She highlighted risks related to misleading or misrepresented human rights arguments in courts, citing Oxford University research and a notably referred to "chicken nuggets case."
The political context includes the Conservative and Reform UK parties signaling intentions to quit the ECHR, while Labour is reviewing human rights laws to facilitate deportations, proposing changes to Article 3 and Article 8 as part of an overhaul of the asylum system.
Stephenson pointed to cases demonstrating the vital role of rights protections, including the John Worboys case where police were held liable for investigative failures, as well as a case concerning the potential forced separation of an elderly couple in care.
Earlier in December 2025, the head of the body overseeing the convention announced that member states had agreed to reforms to address migration issues within the legal framework of the ECHR.
