Shabana Mahmood is working on a legislative change that would enable the government to deport Shabir Ahmed, the leader of the Rochdale grooming gang.
The Home Secretary is anticipated to revise the Immigration Act of 1971, which currently hinders Ahmed’s removal from the UK.
However, complications remain as Pakistan has thus far declined to accept Ahmed back into the country.
Aged 73, Ahmed was released from prison last week after completing 14 years of a 22-year sentence for multiple child rape convictions. Despite being stripped of his British citizenship, he cannot be returned to Pakistan.
According to the Immigration Act, individuals like Ahmed, who arrived in Britain before 1973 and have resided in the UK for a minimum of five years, are exempt from deportation.
On Monday, Mahmood is expected to announce that officials have identified a method to close this loophole while safeguarding the residency rights of other Commonwealth citizens, including those from the Windrush generation.
This announcement will coincide with the second reading of the immigration and asylum bill in Parliament.
A government insider stated, “We believe we have a solution for the domestic aspect of the situation, but it ultimately depends on negotiations between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Pakistan regarding Ahmed’s status in the UK.”
Earlier in the week, a junior minister from the Home Office suggested that emergency legislation could be considered to facilitate Ahmed’s deportation.
Robbie Moore, a former Tory minister and MP for Keighley and Ilkley, expressed in the Commons that any legal adjustments would likely receive bipartisan support.
Moore asked, “When can we expect the minister to introduce this legislation so we can vote on it and ensure that this individual, responsible for terrible crimes in Rochdale, is deported?”
In response, Home Office minister Alex Norris stated, “I can only confirm that all options are being considered. His points are significant. However, the situation is often more complex than it appears. I understand his concerns and hope he will support our efforts at the appropriate time.”
Pakistan has refused to accept Ahmed and two other released leaders of the Rochdale grooming gang, citing their renunciation of Pakistani citizenship. All three individuals have also lost their British citizenship due to their criminal activities.
The UK government disputes Pakistan’s claim that Ahmed renounced his citizenship decades ago, arguing that he did not follow the necessary procedures to formally relinquish his citizenship. A spokesperson for Number 10 confirmed that this issue has been raised with officials in Islamabad.
