MANCHESTER, England — In a notable change of stance, former Tory leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt declared her support for the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) during a speech at the Conservative Party Conference on Tuesday. This endorsement signals a significant pivot from her earlier position on the matter.
Addressing attendees at the POLITICO Pub, Mordaunt, a former Cabinet minister and a prominent figure in Conservative politics, praised current party leader Kemi Badenoch for her commitment to withdrawing from the ECHR if the Conservatives regain power. “I do support that policy,” Mordaunt asserted, acknowledging Badenoch’s diligent efforts in formulating a strategy surrounding this controversial issue. “Kemi has been right to do the hard yards behind it. She hasn’t just done the hard yards by reading a Policy Exchange [think tank] report and getting the legal eagles on the case — she’s actually thought how we would do it, as well as what the right answer is.”
A shift in political stance
Historically, Mordaunt had expressed opposition to the idea of exiting the ECHR, which has often been criticized by British politicians for its perceived influence over immigration policy decisions. In 2022, she firmly stated that she would not pursue removing the UK from the Convention if given the opportunity to serve as Prime Minister. However, during last year’s general election campaign, she indicated a willingness to consider reforming the ECHR and mentioned her readiness to pull out if necessary. On Tuesday, she reinforced this position, stating, “If you can’t reform it, then you’ve got to do something else.”
Future aspirations
Badenoch has made clear that future Conservative parliamentary candidates must align with the party’s manifesto commitments regarding withdrawal from the ECHR, emphasizing party unity on this critical issue. Mordaunt, who narrowly lost her seat in Portsmouth North during a by-election in July 2024, remains determined to return to Parliament. “I’m not done yet,” she remarked on Tuesday, expressing her intention to pursue her political ambitions further. “There are things that I want to get done and so I shall try and get back.”