Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce plans to close a legal loophole that prevents the deportation of Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang. The amendment to the 1971 Immigration Act aims to allow the government to remove Ahmed, who was released from prison last week after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. However, hurdles remain as Pakistan has refused to take Ahmed back, claiming he renounced his Pakistani citizenship.
Loophole in Immigration Act
The current Immigration Act exempts individuals like Ahmed from deportation if they arrived in Britain before 1973 and have lived in the UK for at least five years. Ahmed, 73, was stripped of his British citizenship but cannot be deported due to this provision. Mahmood is expected to announce on Monday that officials have found a way to close the loophole without affecting the rights of other Commonwealth citizens, including the Windrush generation.
Government's plan and challenges
The announcement will coincide with the second reading of the immigration and asylum bill. A government source stated: "We are confident that there is a fix to deal with the domestic side of it but it is now down to the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] negotiations with Pakistan that will decide if [Ahmed] stays in the UK." Earlier, a junior Home Office minister indicated that emergency legislation could be considered to deport Ahmed.
Tory former minister Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, pressed the government in the Commons, asking when legislation would be brought forward. Home Office minister Alex Norris replied: "I can only be as clear as to say that all of those options are on the table. He raises important ways too. But it is never quite as easy, I think, as he’s put there."
Pakistan's refusal
Pakistan has refused to take Ahmed and two other freed ringleaders of the Rochdale grooming gang back, citing their renunciation of Pakistani citizenship. All three have also been stripped of their British citizenship. The UK disputes that Ahmed renounced his citizenship decades ago, as Pakistani officials claim, pointing to evidence that he did not go through the full and proper process. A No 10 spokesperson confirmed the issue has been raised with officials in Islamabad.
