Government failing to deport foreign criminals, MPs say
Damning report warns inaction could lessen public support for EU ahead of referendum

MPs have condemned the government for failing to deport foreign criminals from Britain.
A highly critical report by the Home Affairs select committee said it was "deeply concerning" that there are now more overseas offenders on the streets than at any point since 2012.
The top three nationalities were Polish, Irish and Romanian, which leads the public "to question the point of Britain remaining a member of the EU", the report says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, The Guardian points out that the committee MPs were evenly split over the controversial claim and the report was only passed on the casting vote of chairman Keith Vaz.
"The public would expect our membership of the EU to make it easier to deport European offenders, but this is clearly not the case," said the Labour MP.
His committee's "endorsement of an anti-EU position on such an emotive issue" was immediately seized on by Brexit campaigners, the newspaper adds.
Among them was justice minister Dominic Raab, who said: "The EU is making us less safe. If we take back control, we will be able to deport foreign criminals from our prisons."
But Labour MP Chuka Umunna has hit back and accused Brexiters of trying to hijack the report to further their campaign.
"Any attempt to portray the findings as a reason to leave the EU would be wrong, deeply misleading and another example of how desperate the Leave campaigns have become," he said.
Home Secretary Theresa May, who is backing the Remain side but advocates withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, told the BBC the government had removed a record number of EU criminals from Britain last year.
"Being in the EU gives us access to criminal records sharing and prisoner transfer agreements which help us better identify people with criminal records and, allow us to send foreign criminals back to their home countries to serve their sentences," she said.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate change
In the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?
-
Entente cordiale: will state visit help UK-French relations get over Brexit?
Today's Big Question The King, a keen Francophile who has a warm relationship with Emmanuel Macron, will play a key role in state visit
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?
Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Brexit 'reset' deal: how will it work?
In Depth Keir Stamer says the deal is a 'win-win', but he faces claims that he has 'surrendered' to Brussels on fishing rights
-
Are we entering the post-Brexit era?
Today's Big Question Keir Starmer's 'big bet' with his EU reset deal is that 'nobody really cares' about Brexit any more
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?
Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
Can Starmer sell himself as the 'tough on immigration' PM?
Today's Big Question Former human rights lawyer 'now needs to own the change – not just mouth the slogans' to win over a sceptical public
-
Has Starmer put Britain back on the world stage?
Talking Point UK takes leading role in Europe on Ukraine and Starmer praised as credible 'bridge' with the US under Trump