UK to change law in bid to deport grooming gang ringleader

The UK government plans to change immigration law to enable the deportation of serious foreign criminals, specifically citing the case of Shabir Ahmed, a convicted child sex offender and grooming gang leader. Ahmed, who was jailed in 2012 for 22 years for offenses including rape, was released on license earlier this month. Although stripped of his British citizenship, a 1971 immigration law has prevented his deportation because he arrived in Britain before 1973 and holds Pakistani nationality. Interior minister Shabana Mahmood announced that an amendment to the Immigration and Asylum Bill will grant the Home Secretary new powers to override this specific section of the 1971 act for serious offenders. This legislative change aims to ensure that individuals like Ahmed can be deported after serving their sentences.

Andy Burnham is expected to vote in favor of the government's immigration bill during its second reading in the Commons on Monday. His team indicated support for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and refugee settlement. Mahmood is also set to announce plans to enable the deportation of grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed, a move Burnham publicly backs. The bill includes changes that will double the time to qualify for ILR from five to ten years, with potential considerations for those already in the UK. Despite some internal Labour concerns about the retrospective application of ILR changes, a rebellion is not anticipated. The government aims to make the asylum system more credible by addressing illegal crossings and strengthening legal routes.