The Justice Secretary has revealed that the number of foreign criminals deported early under Labour has surged by 75%. According to David Lammy, over 2,700 foreign national offenders were deported through the early removal scheme in the past year, a significant increase from the 1,560 deported during the final year of the previous government.
The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted these figures as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to addressing the prisons crisis. He emphasized that the government has successfully accelerated the removal of foreign national offenders, with a 75% increase in deportations under the current administration.
The weekly removals under the scheme, allowing for early deportation of prisoners, reached a peak of 114 in September, equivalent to 16 deportations per day. The government recently implemented stricter regulations to facilitate the deportation of foreign criminals even earlier in their prison terms, resulting in a 14% increase in the total number of foreign national offenders returned under Labour.
While the former Prime Minister pledged to double the number of foreign criminals deported, the actual figures remained below 2010 levels when the Conservatives left office in July 2024. The government officials, including Jake Richards, underscored their proactive approach in deporting foreign criminals, ensuring quicker and more efficient removal processes.
The Labour government is committed to further reforms, including rebalancing the application of human rights laws domestically and internationally to prevent offenders from exploiting legal loopholes. The government’s actions reflect their determination to fulfill their promise of deporting more foreign criminals effectively and efficiently.