LONDON: The UK government Wednesday introduced legislation allowing it to override rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), after a judge in Strasbourg blocked flights removing asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab denied the government intended to join Russia in abandoning the European Convention on Human Rights, which is overseen by the Strasbourg court.

But Raab, who is also justice secretary, said the new “Bill of Rights” would “restore a healthy dose of common sense” to Britain’s judicial system.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed anew to implement the Rwanda plan, aimed at deterring immigrants from making illegal crossings of the Channel.

UK slams European court ruling on Rwanda as ‘politically motivated’

Rights groups and church leaders have criticised the policy as “shameful”.

British courts earlier this month gave the go-ahead for the first removal flight to leave, but the ECHR stepped in at the last minute with an interim ruling to block its departure.