Since The Largest Amount Of Foreign Criminals Who Enter The Uk Are Eu Citizens, Will These New Measures Have Much Effect?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/11751773/Foreigners-must-disclose-criminal-records-to-come-to-UK-but-European-Union-is-exempt.html

[jim360]

Depends on the precise proportion of EU to non-EU foreign criminals, but however small the effect it's still the right move.

[Gromit]

Since when has Jaica and Nigeria been in the EU?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2867783/12-000-Size-army-foreign-criminals-living-Britain-today-including-700-murderers-500-rapists.html

[retrocop]

Surely we are entitled to be protected from anyone who enters the UK with a serious criminal past whether EU or Non EU.Why cherry pick just because of the ruddy EU?

[youngmafbog]

//‘Foreign criminals have no place in Britain and there is no excuse for ministers not deporting them as early as possible.//

Whilst it is nice to see a labour MP listening to the will of the people perhaps he needs to remember who caused the problem with deportation by implementing the Blairs' pension plan - aka the HRA.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Since when has Jaica and Nigeria been in the EU? ///

Thank you for those figures Gromit, I automatically thought the majority of criminals came from the EU, as those are the only ones that seem to reach the headlines, I wonder why?

[retrocop]

aog
It isn't a Grey area. It is either Black or White. :-)

[New Judge]

Neither of those nations are in the EU, Gromit (though I imagine their applications will be examined favourably should they choose to join). However, if you examine the leaderboard you will find that the three (out of 27) EU nations that are mentioned account for over 1,500 prisoners – far in excess of those from Jamaica or Nigeria and almost as many as those two combined.

In fact, at the end of June 2014 (the latest comprehensive figures I can find), the number of foreign national prisoners was 10,834 (12.7% of the total prison population). Those from EU nations numbered 4,252 (near enough 40% of the foreign national total).

But none of that really matters because, as I’m sure you realise, that is not the point AOG is making. It is obviously felt desirable by the UK government that criminal checks should be made on those wanting to enter the country. Yet we are prevented from doing this for potentially 500m people living in the rest of the EU who are afforded access here. If it’s necessary for people outside the EU to have their records checked why do we accept it as unnecessary for those from within? Especially when people from that area make up 40% of the foreign prison population? I’m sure few people would like to see serious or violent criminals admitted here so why does it matter whether they hail from Lagos or Budapest? Or is our obligation to allow foreign criminals unfettered right of entry another of the great advantages provided by our EU membership?