A cabinet minister has refused to commit to the UK staying as a signatory to the United Nations human rights convention following a controversial speech in the US by Suella Braverman on migration.

The home secretary has faced severe criticism over her comments in Washington DC on Tuesday, where she said being gay or a woman should not be enough to gain asylum.

Appearing on Sky News, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer defended the remarks, saying “fearing discrimination is different” from someone’s life being at risk.

She failed to commit to the convention – established in 1951 to protect refugees – repeatedly, telling Sky News’ Kay Burley: “It is up to all countries to look at where the conventions that were signed a number of years ago are [and] as they are interpreted today whether they are still doing the job they are enacted to do.”

But she did say: “I think that those conventions are really important.”

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