Friday, February 28, 2020
The day the Tories abandoned claims to be the party of law and order
The UK Government hit a new low yesterday in its dealings with the European Union when it announced that it plans to abandon a crucial tool used to speed up the transfer of criminals across borders with other European countries.
As the Guardian reports, acting in defiance of strong advice from senior law enforcement officials, the government said it would not be seeking to participate in the European arrest warrant (EAW) as part of the future relationship with the European Union.
In a document setting out the UK’s approach to negotiations with the EU, the government said: “The agreement should instead provide for fast-track extradition arrangements, based on the EU’s surrender agreement with Norway and Iceland which came into force in 2019, but with appropriate further safeguards for individuals beyond those in the European arrest warrant.”
This is the UK cutting off its nose to spite its face, the triumph of ideology over the national interest and commonsense with severe consequences for our ability to deal with terrorism and international crime:
One complication is that some EU member states, such as Germany, have a constitutional bar against extraditing their nationals to non-EU countries. “Their view is if they can’t get justice at home, they are not going to get it anywhere else,” said the source.
When Britain left the EU on 31 January, three EU countries – Germany, Austria and Slovenia – announced they would stop surrendering their nationals to British law enforcement. Since 2009, there have been six people from those countries extradited to the UK. Conversely it could mean the UK becomes a safe haven for EU criminals.
Under the current arrangements, police forces, prosecutors and the National Crime Agency can apply for an EAW to effect a fast extradition of a criminal suspect from any EU member state, and likewise EU countries can apply to the UK to return fugitives. The European commission has previously claimed that average extradition times have been reduced from one year to less than two months through the use of the EAW.
From 2009/2010 to 2017/2018, the UK returned 9,853 EU nationals to their home states to face justice, and brought back 1,271 Britons over the same period.
Before the arrest warrant existed it took 10 years to extradite Rachid Ramda from Britain to France over his role in the 1995 Paris metro bombing. In 2005 it took just 56 days to bring the failed 21/7 London tube bomber Hussain Osman back from Italy to London using an arrest warrant.
With this decision the Tories have abandoned all pretence to be the party of law and disorder. This irresponsible decision has made us less safe and handicapped our police and security services.
As the Guardian reports, acting in defiance of strong advice from senior law enforcement officials, the government said it would not be seeking to participate in the European arrest warrant (EAW) as part of the future relationship with the European Union.
In a document setting out the UK’s approach to negotiations with the EU, the government said: “The agreement should instead provide for fast-track extradition arrangements, based on the EU’s surrender agreement with Norway and Iceland which came into force in 2019, but with appropriate further safeguards for individuals beyond those in the European arrest warrant.”
This is the UK cutting off its nose to spite its face, the triumph of ideology over the national interest and commonsense with severe consequences for our ability to deal with terrorism and international crime:
One complication is that some EU member states, such as Germany, have a constitutional bar against extraditing their nationals to non-EU countries. “Their view is if they can’t get justice at home, they are not going to get it anywhere else,” said the source.
When Britain left the EU on 31 January, three EU countries – Germany, Austria and Slovenia – announced they would stop surrendering their nationals to British law enforcement. Since 2009, there have been six people from those countries extradited to the UK. Conversely it could mean the UK becomes a safe haven for EU criminals.
Under the current arrangements, police forces, prosecutors and the National Crime Agency can apply for an EAW to effect a fast extradition of a criminal suspect from any EU member state, and likewise EU countries can apply to the UK to return fugitives. The European commission has previously claimed that average extradition times have been reduced from one year to less than two months through the use of the EAW.
From 2009/2010 to 2017/2018, the UK returned 9,853 EU nationals to their home states to face justice, and brought back 1,271 Britons over the same period.
Before the arrest warrant existed it took 10 years to extradite Rachid Ramda from Britain to France over his role in the 1995 Paris metro bombing. In 2005 it took just 56 days to bring the failed 21/7 London tube bomber Hussain Osman back from Italy to London using an arrest warrant.
With this decision the Tories have abandoned all pretence to be the party of law and disorder. This irresponsible decision has made us less safe and handicapped our police and security services.
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'Conversely it could mean the UK becomes a safe haven for EU criminals'.Does this mean ONLY for EU criminals or does it also cover other countries? For example BylineTimes.com. 2020.02.25 'Underground Russian influence,Johnson and the ghost station'. An indication of fraudulent business dealings. Their are other articles.
By leaving this organisation and 'making our own rules' can lead to judiciary being cheapened and civil service hands being tide re having to 'change the rules' to suit vested interests.
By leaving this organisation and 'making our own rules' can lead to judiciary being cheapened and civil service hands being tide re having to 'change the rules' to suit vested interests.
Making and changing UK laws can hide criminality. Could the Russian Papers be hiding 'dirty dealings' influencing politicians?
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