Labour eyes emergency laws to kick Rochdale grooming gang leader out of Britain

The Asylum Minister conceded it was 'unacceptable' that Shabir Ahmed was not deported upon his release from prison

The Asylum Minister conceded it was 'unacceptable' that Shabir Ahmed was not deported upon his release from prison

Labour is considering plans to introduce emergency legislation to fast-track the deportation of a Rochdale grooming gang ringleader.

Alex Norris, the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, has told the Commons that "all options are on the table" when asked if Government would use emergency legislation to remove Pakistan-born Shabir Ahmed.

Ahmed, 73, was released from prison last week after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence.

The child rapist had his British citizenship stripped in 2016, but has not been deported to Pakistan.

He cannot be deported because the Immigration Act 1971 prevents the removal of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in Britain before 1973 and have lived in the country for at least five years, with similar legislation in the UK Border Act 2007.

Mr Norris told MPs: "Under this Government, removals of foreign national offenders are up 36 per cent, with nearly 10,000 returned since we entered office.

"The fact that that has not so far been possible for an individual responsible for such heinous crimes as Shabir Ahmed's is unacceptable."

The Asylum Minister has said he would consider amendments from the Tories to repeal two sections of the Immigration Act 1971.

Robbie Moore, a Conservative MP who sits on the Home Affairs Committee, said: "He has the ability to bring through emergency legislation, which I am sure would get the backing of both sides of the House, to ensure that Shabir Ahmed is deported.

"When will he bring forward such legislation, so that we in this House can vote on it and ensure that this individual, who has committed heinous crimes across Rochdale, is deported?"

Mr Norris said deportations were "multifactorial", noting that there may be "barriers in our own domestic laws, perhaps barriers in other laws, and our returns agreements around the world".

"He has heard, from me, the spirit in which we are operating. I can only say again that all those options are on the table," he added.

The minister again spoke of Labour's "significant progress" in removing foreign offenders, but admitted there were "hurdles that are used to frustrate removal".

This includes the abuse of "crucial protections" in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the "gaming of Article 8 of the ECHR that goes far wider than Strasbourg case law", Mr Norris said.

Mr Philp has called for the Government to leave the European Court of Human Rights, saying it makes controlling Britain's borders "impossible".

Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp and Reform UK's Home Affairs spokesman Robert Jenrick have both raised the subject of imposing sanctions on Pakistan - including a suspension of visas and the lifting of aid.

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, a Tory MP, asked Mr Norris if he was ready to use sanctions to "ensure the deportation of this grievous individual".

The minister stressed, however, that the "barrier to removal" was section seven of the Immigration Act 1971, adding that the Government made 1,300 returns to Pakistan.

Pakistan's government has previously said it did not recognise Ahmed as a citizen of the country after he was said to have ripped up his passport.

Britain has disputed Ahmed's claims, but Pakistani ministers have said the country has "no stake" in his removal.

"As far as Pakistan's database and official records are concerned, Shabir Ahmed is not a Pakistani national," a Pakistan official said.