LEGAL experts and campaigners warned against pulling out of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after Robert Jenrick hinted it would help reduce migrant Channel crossings.

The immigration minister today said government will do “whatever is required” even if it meant pulling out of the major international human rights agreement.

This would risk complications over the operation of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland and post-Brexit deals with the EU.

But ministers face backbench pressure to leave the ECHR while their flagship policy to send migrants to Rwanda awaits a Supreme Court battle.

Law Society of England and Wales president Lubna Shuja said problems in the asylum system can be addressed by “bringing down the case backlogs and addressing the issues with the Illegal Migration Act,” adding: “These will not be tackled by leaving an extremely successful international agreement designed to protect individual rights and support political stability.

“Leaving the ECHR would mean the UK would sit as an outlier in Europe, alongside only Russia and Belarus who are already outside of the Convention.”

Freedom from Torture head of asylum advocacy Sile Reynolds said leaving the convention “will not correct any of the failings of this government that have led to the record backlog in asylum claims, or the continued loss of life in the waters around Europe.

“It’s time for the government to get a grip and focus their efforts in rebuilding an asylum system that is compassionate, fair, and efficient.”

Care4Calais CEO Steve Smith said the “shameful” suggestion would leave the UK an international embarrassment and jeopardise human rights.

“The government knows their cruel and brutal asylum policies don't comply with international treaties and law,” he added.

Immigration and human rights barrister Jan Doerfel told the Morning Star: “It would be entirely incompatible with any rhetoric that the UK was interested in respecting or guaranteeing human rights.”

Mr Jenrick also said Lee Anderson was expressing the “deep frustration of a large body of the British public” by telling asylum seekers complaining about being moved to an accommodation barge to “f*** off back to France.”

He joined the Justice Secretary Alex Chalk in backing the Conservative Party deputy chairman’s remarks about those objecting to being given a bed on board the Bibby Stockholm in Portland, Dorset.

Labour said the comments were “wrong” and accused the Tories of using them to distract from their record on immigration.