It has been a mixed news day so far as Britain’s relationship with the ECHR is concerned. There’s been the good stuff: Abu Qatada has been arrested and is set to be deported, with the government now confident that he can be shipped to Jordan without provoking the ire of Europe’s legal class. And then there has been the less than good stuff: according to the Times, which has a leaked document in its possession, Britain’s official proposals for reforming the ECHR have been diluted ahead of the Council of Europe meeting in Brighton this week. This outcome, as I suggested back in February, is hardly surprising — but it could nonetheless make life a little bit more difficult for David Cameron. After the recent murmurings of his backbenchers, he might have enjoyed an opportunity to really sock it to the Continent.

Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in