May attacks judges over failure to deport foreign criminals

Published on 18/02/2013 00:00

HOME Secretary Theresa May has accused judges of “subverting” British democracy and ­making the streets of Britain more dangerous by ignoring new rules aimed at deporting more foreign criminals.

In a scathing attack, she vowed to introduce primary legislation to restrict the human rights of offenders after a minority of the judiciary decided to “ignore parliament’s wishes”.

But she warned the delay in getting that on to the statute book would inevitably mean “more victims of violent crimes committed by foreigners in this country”.

MPs approved new guidance for judges in July last year making clear the right to a family life – set out in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights – was only qualified.

The change was designed to end a string of cases where it was used to justify granting foreign criminals the right to remain in the UK rather than being ­deported.

Labour questioned at the time whether the guidance would be sufficient to override the precedent set by earlier cases and said it would support primary legislation.

The Home Secretary pinned the blame squarely on the judges who have “got it into their heads that Article 8… is an absolute, unqualified right”.