Deportation of Foreign National Offenders

Ms Thewliss referenced a passage from Leviticus to emphasise treating individuals with compassion and respect. She acknowledged the need for accountability in cases of serious crime but highlighted instances where deportation would lead to execution, citing specific examples of her constituents facing such situations. She also mentioned Stephen Shaw's review, which identified failures by the Home Office and raised ethical concerns about deporting individuals who have grown up in the UK with no ties or language skills in their country of origin.

Expressed concerns about the perception that converting to Christianity could be seen as a criminal act, stressing the importance of respecting the law and ensuring justice for those who break it. Emphasised the need for foreign nationals to adhere to UK laws or face deportation, highlighting statistics showing 10,321 foreign nationals in prison across England and Wales in June 2023.

He expressed anger at the Church of England and Archbishop Justin Welby for allowing individuals to convert to Christianity as a means to avoid deportation. He cited a leaked document that suggested people do not attend church after their application is granted, highlighting abuse of the system by Labour MPs who signed a letter opposing deportation.

Mr MacAskill emphasised the importance of public punishment and deportation for foreign nationals who commit serious crimes, but also highlighted the need for rehabilitation and support upon release. He cited a case where an Australian citizen was deported to Scotland without family connections or support, leading him to become homeless and isolated. Mr MacAskill argued that such individuals should not necessarily be deported if they do not have the necessary familial ties in their home country.

Priti Patel highlighted her role as a former Home Secretary, overseeing the removal of around 12,000 foreign national offenders (FNOs), despite challenges from the pandemic and opposition. She promoted the 'prison-to-plane' approach to expedite deportation and stressed the importance of deporting FNOs for public safety reasons. Patel criticised organisations supporting deported individuals who had committed serious crimes, stating that such actions undermine public confidence in justice.

He agreed with Jonathan Gullis's concerns and emphasized the need for the Opposition to acknowledge that they were wrong in signing letters opposing the deportation of foreign national offenders. He argued that failing to address such cases undermines Britain's moral right to advocate for balanced immigration.

The MP highlighted the Conservative government's failure to remove foreign criminals, noting a 34% decrease in removals since 2010 and 8,786 foreign national offenders not being detained. He criticised the Home Office for failing to track cases effectively and blamed the minister for diplomatic failures in ensuring voluntary returns.