Mahmood to close loophole blocking deportation of Rochdale grooming gang ringleader | Shabana Mahmood

Shabana Mahmood plans to change the law so the government can take action to deport the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang.

The home secretary is expected to amend the Immigration Act 1971, which prevented Shabir Ahmed from being removed from the UK.

But the government will still face challenges as Pakistan has so far refused to take Ahmed back.

Ahmed, 73, was released from prison last week after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for raping 30 children. Although he has been stripped of his British citizenship, he cannot be sent back to Pakistan.

The Immigration Act exempts people like Ahmed from deportation if they arrived in the UK before 1973 and have lived in the UK for at least five years.

Mahmood is expected to say on Monday that authorities have found a way to close the loophole without jeopardizing the rights of other Commonwealth citizens, including the Windrush generation from the Caribbean.

Mahmood’s announcement will coincide with the second reading of the immigration and asylum bill.

A government source said: “We are confident there is a solution to deal with the domestic side of the issue but this is now up to the FCDO. [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] negotiations with Pakistan, which will decide whether [Ahmed] He’s staying in England.”

Earlier on Wednesday, a Home Office minister said the government could consider emergency legislation to deport Ahmed.

Keighley and Ilkley MP and former Tory minister Robbie Moore told the House of Commons that changes to the law were likely to have support across parliament.

Moore said: “When will the Minister bring forward this legislation so that we in this House can vote on it and ensure the deportation of this individual who has caused heinous crimes across Rochdale?”

Home Secretary Alex Norris responded: “I can only say clearly that all those options are on the table. He also puts forward significant pathways.”

“But I don’t think it’s ever been as easy as when he was put there. But I know his motivations, I think I share them, and I’m sure he’ll be willing to support us in our work at the right time.”

Pakistan refused to take back Ahmed and two other freed ringleaders of the Rochdale grooming gang because they had renounced their Pakistani citizenship. All three had their British citizenship revoked due to the crimes they committed.

The United Kingdom disputes that Ahmed renounced his citizenship decades ago, as Pakistani officials claim, and points to evidence that he did not go through the full and appropriate process to deny him his birthright. A No 10 spokesman confirmed it had discussed the matter with officials in Islamabad.