Keir Starmer has said Europe’s leaders must re-examine how a major human rights treaty is interpreted in order to tackle illegal migration and see off the rise of the far-right.

The prime minister and his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, have jointly called on other continental leaders to agree a "modernisation" of how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is interpreted in their national laws amid increasing concern over illegal migration.

It comes as European ministers, including deputy prime minister David Lammy, are due to meet in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday to discuss reforming how the treaty is interpreted in the courts.

Writing in The Guardian, Sir Keir and Ms Frederiksen called for a tougher approach to policing Europe’s borders, framing the move as a strategy to win against populist political opponents and confirming they are "making this case across Europe".

The ECHR, which underpins Britain’s Human Rights Act, is seen by critics as a major barrier to attempts to deport illegal migrants from the country.

Starmer and Frederiksen (pictured) called for a tougher approach to policing Europe’s borders (PA Wire)

The right to family life, enshrined by article 8 of the agreement, is often used as grounds in legal cases to prevent removals.

The Home Office has also said it has seen a trend of article 3 rights, prohibiting torture, being used to halt deportations because of claims migrants’ healthcare needs could not be met in their homeland.

Sir Keir’s political opponents, the Conservatives and Reform UK, have both said they would leave the ECHR if in power.

The prime minister, in his joint op-ed with Ms Fredriksen, acknowledged the “current asylum framework was created for another era”, adding: “In a world with mass mobility, yesterday’s answers do not work. We will always protect those fleeing war and terror – but the world has changed and asylum systems must change with it.”

But his government has insisted it will remain a member of the treaty, and has adopted a series of hardline immigration measures, modelled on those spearheaded by Ms Frederiksen’s Danish government, in order to decrease the number of migrants crossing the English Channel.

“Migration must be orderly, managed and sustainable. Irregular routes should not be the go-to option – so we must dismantle the human smuggling networks that prey on desperation.

“Together, we are calling on our friends across Europe to go further in tackling these shared challenges,” the two leaders wrote.

A political declaration signed by the ministers gathered in Strasbourg could carry enough weight to directly influence how the European Court of Human Rights interprets the agreement, it is understood.

Meanwhile, at home, the government is expected to bring forward legislation to change how the article 8 right to family life is interpreted in UK courts, and is also considering examining the threshold for article 3 rights.

The government is seeking a harder line in migration (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Sir Keir’s op-ed described this as a “push for a modernisation of the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights – so that the convention system, which we believe in, can evolve to reflect the challenges of the 21st century”.

In a warning to other leaders, Sir Keir and Ms Fredriksen added: “Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again. Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

“So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for. We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come.”