MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, Stephen Metcalfe rose on the floor of the House of Commons, to ask a question to the Home Secretary regarding Abu Qatada.
Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock, Conservative)
My constituents consistently ask: “Why don’t we just stick this man on a plane and have done with it, regardless of what the European convention on human rights says?” Will my right hon. Friend confirm, however, that as much as we all want rid of this dreadful, odious little man, we all have greater benefit from living under a Government who stick to their own laws as they are in place at present?
Theresa May (Home Secretary; Maidenhead, Conservative)
My hon. Friend is right. Many people say, “Why don’t you just put this individual on a plane?”, but that would not, I believe, be practically possible in relation to the action that the courts would take. Also, it is important—my hon. Friend says there are wider benefits—that the Government are willing to say that we abide not just by our rule of law, but by our international legal obligations.
I am sure that the Government can raise a covert snatch squad to throw this benefit sponger out of the UK to stand trial in Jordan, The ECHR are a joke, we should ignore their ruling, after all what punishment can they dish out if we go against their ruling?
The sooner he is out of the UK the better.
Exactly Lambo
It’s things like this which anger me about this government. They have so much time on their hands in regards to this terroist and we are all paying for the pleasure. No-one cares if the government has to break the law to do it, just do it. Its comical watching May explain why he is still here.
I wouldn’t do this covertly at all. I would do it under the full media spotlight, sort of a two fingered salute to the ECHR and a overt warning to anybody else, like Qatada, who thinks we are a soft touch. Things have to change.
Actually, I had a thought just after my last post, what would the ruling of the ECHR be if I was to launch a case whereby having a preacher of hate living in my community was a breach of my human rights? That might put the cat among the pigeons!
We should charge him with conspiring and inciting terrorist acts together with persons unknown within mainland England then giving him a life term without provision for parole and then incarcerate him at a maximum security establishment in isolation, I think enough money has been thrown at this problem let’s solve it ourselves
Albert, great suggestion but if we incarcerate him in our jails it will be at the cost of the UK tax payers.
On average it costs £41k per year to keep a prisoner so even if he spent the next 20 years inside this will cost us all almost £1m, maybe even more if he is getting solitary confinement as this would require additional staff etc.
I am sure that if we put him on a plane tomorrow to Jordan the fine from the ECHR would be less than that 🙂