British TV host rips up human rights laws in live anti-migration rant

British television presenter Mark Dolan has ssharply criticised European migration policy during a live broadcast of his TalkTV programme, where he symbolically destroyed printed copies of major international and domestic human rights agreements.

During the segment, Dolan argued that the United Kingdom’s current border control and asylum system is constrained by outdated legal frameworks, preventing authorities from managing migration effectively. He called for a fundamental overhaul of immigration laws and advocated withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which he said no longer serves its original purpose, Caliber.Az reports.

Dolan urged British authorities to reassess their approach to migration, particularly the increasing number of people arriving in the country by small boats across the English Channel. He claimed that state support is frequently directed toward individuals who do not genuinely require protection, while resources for legitimate refugees are strained.

The presenter also criticised legal protections that apply to migrants accused of serious crimes. He asserted that under existing laws, cases involving offences such as theft or sexual assault can take months or years to resolve, during which suspects may be released into the community, potentially posing risks to public safety.

“Human rights should protect people from the state, not prevent the states from functioning,” he said. 

To underline his point, he placed a paper shredder on his desk and fed in printed copies of the European Convention on Human Rights, the UK Human Rights Act, and the 1951 Refugee Convention. When the shredder malfunctioned, he continued tearing the documents by hand.

He concluded the segment by stating that the UK should focus on protecting what he described as “real refugees” — those fleeing persecution — while taking tougher action against people who enter the country illegally with the help of smuggling networks. Dolan said he supported detaining and deporting those who cross the Channel unlawfully and called for dismantling the legal and constitutional structures that, in his view, prevent the government from stopping small boat crossings.

By Sabina Mammadli