UK Moves to Deport Rochdale Grooming Ringleader: Law Change Planned

The UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, is set to amend the 1971 Immigration Act, paving the way for the potential deportation of Shabir Ahmed, the notorious ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang. This move comes as the government seeks to close a loophole that has, until now, shielded Ahmed from removal from Britain.

Ahmed, 73, was recently released from prison after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. Despite being stripped of his British citizenship, current legislation has prevented his deportation. The 1971 Immigration Act exempts individuals who arrived in Britain before 1973 and have resided in the UK for at least five years from deportation, a clause that has applied to Ahmed.

Mahmood is expected to announce on Monday that a solution has been found to close this legal loophole. Crucially, the government assures that this amendment will not jeopardise the right to remain for other Commonwealth citizens, including those from the Windrush generation in the Caribbean. A government source indicated confidence in addressing the domestic legal aspect of the deportation.

However, significant hurdles remain. Pakistan has so far refused to take Ahmed back, citing that he renounced his Pakistani citizenship. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently engaged in negotiations with Pakistan, as their cooperation will ultimately determine if Ahmed can be removed from the UK. The proposed changes to the law are anticipated to receive broad support across Parliament, with Tory former minister Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, having previously indicated strong cross-party backing for such amendments.

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