Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has firmly rejected a controversial immigration court ruling that allowed a Palestinian family from Gaza to join their relative in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme. The Labour leader told MPs that the judge’s decision was “the wrong decision” and said it should be Parliament, not the courts, that sets the rules on immigration.
Starmer’s comments came after Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, urged him to appeal the ruling, which she described as “completely wrong” and one that “cannot be allowed to stand.” Badenoch argued the decision set a dangerous precedent by allowing people from conflict zones to exploit the Ukraine scheme, which was not designed for that purpose.
The Prime Minister said the Home Secretary was already looking at ways to close the “legal loophole” that enabled the Gazan family’s successful application. He reiterated that immigration policy should be set by the Government, not the judiciary.
The case has reignited the debate over the UK’s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), with some Tory figures calling for radical reforms or even withdrawal. Badenoch said judges were making “novel and expansive interpretations” of human rights law that defied common sense.
Starmer, however, insisted the UK would never leave the ECHR under his leadership. He argued that Parliament, not the courts, should make decisions on who is eligible to come to the UK.
Human rights groups have condemned the government’s rhetoric, warning that attempts to restrict judicial oversight of immigration cases could undermine fundamental freedoms. But with public concerns over border control running high, the Prime Minister appears determined to assert parliamentary sovereignty over immigration policy.
