Government representatives have pledged to explore every available avenue to secure the deportation of Shabir Ahmed, the former leader of a Rochdale grooming ring. Ahmed, aged 73, was sentenced to 22 years in 2012 for his role in the systemic abuse of teenage girls. Although he was stripped of his British citizenship following his conviction, he remains in the UK due to a legal protection within the 1971 Immigration Act regarding Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973.
Baroness Jacqui Smith, the Labour Minister for Skills, confirmed that the government is fully committed to removing him from the country. Similarly, Andy Burnham has urged the Home and Foreign Secretaries to review all possibilities, emphasizing that the welfare of the victims is the primary priority. Labour MP Jim McMahon expressed a desire to amend the 1971 legislation, arguing that it was intended to protect law-abiding contributors rather than shield individuals who committed grave offenses.
Survivors have voiced significant alarm regarding his impending release, noting that Ahmed remains a figure of fear within their communities. While the Home Office has stated that Ahmed will be monitored via an electronic tag and prohibited from entering specific exclusion zones like Rochdale and Oldham, campaigners like Maggie Oliver suggest that many victims feel consistently neglected by the system. The government continues to seek legal clarification on whether any legislative changes could be applied retroactively to facilitate his removal.
