Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will on Monday confirm plans to close a legal loophole that currently prevents Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, from being deported. Ahmed, a Pakistani-born British resident, has evaded removal due to the Immigration Act 1971, which exempts Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 from deportation.
Government Action on Deportation Loophole
The Home Secretary's announcement comes amid mounting pressure from MPs and the public to ensure that Ahmed, convicted for his role in the child sexual exploitation ring, is removed from the UK. A source told the Express: "We are confident that there is a fix to deal with the domestic side of it, but it is now down to the FCDO negotiations with Pakistan that will decide if [Ahmed] stays in the UK."
Political Reactions
Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, welcomed the move: "I've been urging ministers to act quickly to change the law to allow the authorities to boot this vile child rapist out of Britain. If the Home Secretary does next week announce she is closing the loophole that prevents his deportation to Pakistan, I and my constituents would strongly welcome that."
Shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam criticised the government's delay: "Shabana Mahmood should not be congratulated for finally admitting what Conservatives have been saying all along: if the law lets the ringleader of a grooming gang and child rapist like Shabir Ahmed stay in Britain, the law must be changed."
Concerns Over Human Rights Claims
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warned that Ahmed could use the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to block deportation. He stated: "Ahmed will almost certainly make a claim under the ECHR Article 3 or 8 to stay in the UK, which will have a good chance of succeeding based on previous cases. That's why the Conservatives have a real plan to leave the ECHR and deport all foreign criminals."
Pakistan's Refusal to Accept Ahmed
The biggest obstacle remains Pakistan's refusal to accept Ahmed. A senior Pakistani government official told The Telegraph: "Our position is that [the UK] must listen to us too. Both sides need to apply standards. Pakistan cannot be railroaded into agreeing to terms and conditions that are suitable only to the UK. These demands [to take back Ahmed] are being made about somebody who is now around 75 and who has spent more than 60 years in your country. How is he our national when he is actually not our national? This is arrogance and a colonial mindset."
Next Steps
Labour has faced calls to suspend foreign aid and block visas for Pakistanis to force Islamabad's hand. The Home Office is expected to introduce emergency legislation to close the loophole, with the Conservatives pledging to support any measures that ensure Ahmed's deportation.
