Abu Qatada Debate

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Department: Home Office

Abu Qatada

Charles Walker Excerpts
Thursday 19th April 2012

(12 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Theresa May Portrait Mrs May
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I have made it clear that the Government’s view is that the deadline finished on 16 April. I repeat that Opposition Members who think that we would somehow be in a different position if Abu Qatada’s arrest had been delayed for 24 hours need to be careful, as the European Court is able to exercise discretion about the deadline and it could accept a referral outside that deadline.

Charles Walker Portrait Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne) (Con)
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The Home Secretary must not delay in getting this scumbag and his murderous mates on a plane out of this country. In so doing, will she send a metaphorical two fingers to the ECHR?

Theresa May Portrait Mrs May
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As I have already made clear, this case has been going on for 11 years. At the first opportunity this Government had to take action to resume the deportation of Abu Qatada, we took that action, and when the processes of the European Court are complete, we will take that action again and resume his deportation because, with the assurances we have received from the Jordanian Government, we have a strong case. Our aim, like everybody else’s, is to deport Abu Qatada.