Number of migrant offenders freed onto UK streets jumps 300% since 2017 as European human rights court continues to block removals, costing taxpayers £1.3 million per day.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
LONDON — A record 19,491 foreign criminals have been released onto Britain’s streets instead of being deported under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, marking a 300% increase since 2017, when just 5,933 migrant offenders remained in the country after serving their sentences. The surge has accelerated since Starmer took office last year, with nearly 1,000 additional foreign criminals freed in that time alone, according to a report by The Sun.
The sharp rise in released migrant offenders comes despite recent government efforts to toughen deportation rules. In September, the Home Office expanded its powers to remove foreign criminals directly from prison, lowering the threshold for eligibility from 50% to 30% of their sentence served. However, these measures have been repeatedly undermined by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which continues to block deportations under Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. These articles prohibit the removal of individuals who might face “inhumane treatment” in their home countries or whose deportation could disrupt family life.
The UK remains bound by the ECHR—a separate entity from the European Union—despite Brexit, and the court’s rulings have frequently been invoked by foreign criminals, sex offenders, and terrorists to avoid deportation. While the British government is pushing for reforms to limit these protections, any changes remain uncertain and distant.
Original article
Comments