Feb 2009 19

Qatada case shows the law is a disgrace12

The news today that Abu Qatada, "Bin Laden's right hand man in Europe", and several of his fellow extremists are not only still in Britain but are being paid compensation for the inconvenience of their detention, have caused understandable disgust.

Let us be clear. Qatada hates Britain and everything it stands for. Free speech, equality for women, the right to determine one's own sexuality and religion, rock'n'roll, democracy – you name it, he has made very clear that he despises it. He has been linked in a series of judgements to extremists, and in their recent judgement to deport him back to Jordan the Law Lords made clear that if he was at liberty to do so, he would cause harm to our nation.

So why, then, is he still here, having cost taxpayers £1.5 million is benefits, legal fees and prison costs since his arrival, and cashing in compensation cheques from the taxpayer despite rulings by the Law Lords that he should be slung out of the country?

The answer is that our legal system has been hamstrung. The introduction of the bungling, unclear and absurd Human Rights Act meant that Qatada's lawyers have effectively been able to keep him in this country for years by arguing that the British people's sovereign right to expel people who hate them and wish to see Britain destroyed comes second to the right of preachers of hatred to be protected from their own countrymen.

This Human Rights Act fiasco meant that we had lost the legal right to decide which foreign individuals can and cannot remain in our country. The Government which placed this bind on our laws was then faced with the question of what to do with Qatada and his ilk, who clearly remained a threat. Any right minded person would have recognised that the Human Rights Act was deeply flawed and repealed it, allowing us to get on with the job of getting rid of him. This Government, though, decided it was preferable to alter the fundamental principles of the law and intern Qatada without trial.

That was what has led to this compensation claim, backed by the European Court of Human Rights, which has power over British law. Of course, if Qatada really objected to his internment he could have simply upped sticks and left the country – he was free to do that at any time – but why bother when you've got a free meal ticket, a public platform for your hateful views and yet more opportunities to milk the British taxpayer that you hate so much for all they are worth?

His deportation order by the Law Lords will now be appealed, inevitably at our expense, to the European Court, meaning he will certainly remain here, living off the British taxpayer, for several more years at least. If he wins in the ECHR – and in that Cloud Cuckoo Land almost all things are possible – he could be here for the foreseeable future, using our money to pour poison into the ear of the nation.

This is a shocking case about a shocking man. Qatada is a hateful, evil piece of work, but without the ridiculous behaviour of our politicians in crippling our laws and handing power over to the European Court of Human Rights, he would have been out on his ear years ago.

Jacqui Smith has been cheering on rulings in favour of his deportation, and criticising Human Rights verdicts that support Qatada, but it is base hypocrisy. The Government could repeal the Human Rights Act, ditch the European Convention that underlies it and tell the Court to take a running jump, which would genuinely solve the problem and make our laws meaningful again, but for reasons of misguided ideology and euro-enthusiasm, they won't. Until some politician has the guts to do so, they are as much to blame for this farce as Qatada is.

Related Posts

  • Terry

    It’s time for democratic majority action – and I do mean action – against anyone and anything standing in the way of the democratic majority in Britain.
    I suggest that the TPA do a survey on the Qatada case. Once the democratic majority view is known, it must be given primacy in all actions taken. If not, the democratic majority forces should take direct action in any and every way possible.
    We are the democratic majority. We rule.

  • Ray

    The Labour Party has turned this historic country of ours into an international laughing stock. They have also placed debts on our childrens heads for at least two generations ahead with their careless PFI based investment programmes and non-policing of the UK’s Banking system by their appointed mandarins at the SFA. True to form this Labour Government has followed the same path of all the previous ones.
    It is time to remove them completely from power.
    Brown must resign and an election needs to take place immediately before they push us all into poverty. I believe that the TPA should organise a protest rally at Hyde Park so we can all show our support and express our disgust with Labour.

  • Martin Boothby

    This government is a corrupt, hypocritical government out to crush the heart out of the British people. I didn’t sign up for Bliar or Brown and I only hope that the next election produces a government that repeals the more unjust laws and limits the power that future government has over the electorate in this country. If I had wanted a Labour / Socialist dictatorship I would have gone to Russia. As it is all levels of this society are being are being slowly sucked dry of their self-determinism, curiosity and simple drive to want to know more and better things.
    To cap it all we now seem to be accountable, by default, to murdering scumbags or those who support the policies of terrorism, who have no right to live in a civilised society, more so because they despise that very society. Why is it the so-called human rights law seems only to protect those whom the law has deemed answerable, without seeming to protect those who are genuine victims? If Abu Qatada despises the UK so much why won’t someone simply get him out of the place?

  • Denis

    Again the roots of this issue lie firmly in our present relationship with the EU, and our acceptance of legislation. The only answer is to either withdraw completely from the EU saving masses cash as well as letting us get back to running our own country; and become like Norway, just a trading partner.

  • K Lidington

    Simple solution. Send him off to his country of origin, or even better, any other democratic country wanting him, and let him fund his own appeal, after the event, from outside the UK. Even if he wins some repulsive compensation claim, it can be guaranteed to be cheaper than keeping him in the UK.

  • Bill H

    This government is infested with champagne socialists, invariably from wealthy backgrounds, who are unwilling to deny themselves their lavish taxpayer-funded incomes and expenses but simultaneously salve their bleeding heart liberal consciences by also using taxpayers’ money to shell out on legal aid, benefits and compensation payments to any idle, preferably lawbreaking scumbag from a “disadvantaged” social group. Best of both worlds then?

  • Steve

    Not sure that the above article has anything to do with Labour. It seems to me that the above commenters are all a bunch of drooly hairy arsed Tory arse kissers. If you feel like that go buy the Daily Mail. Sure – this guy is an asshole – but moaning about Gordon Brown won’t get rid of him. Write to Jacqui Smith and request his deportation.

  • Mr P.Collins

    The legal profession get paid ridiculous fees from taxpayers for putting people in prison and then again for representation re legal rights.In the past we were told that if you were convicted of crime you lost all rights.Who changed the rules? The legal profession.
    Similarly the tax payer is bled dry by the legal profession in trial and retrial of illegal immigrants.Do you think the laws will change? No most of the law makers are in the legal profession or have ties with it.
    What with the legal profession,bankers and unscrupulous MP’S its about time british tax payer stopped being an uncomplaining milk cow and turned into a raging bull.
    What happened to the bankers bonuses has that been conveniently forgotten now?

  • Chris P

    Freedom of speech and all, but shouldn’t someone maybe think of moderating out Labour trolls like Steve? Socialists have never respected anyone else’s freedom to say what they think, so should we not extend the favour?

  • Eugene

    The European Human Rights Laws will, as any law will, throw up a few inconsistencies like Abu Qatada now and again but for the tens to thousands who’s lives have been made safer by this law we hear very little.
    It is laws like these that allows you (and me) to be free to express out political views. It is with in living memory, here in Europe, one could be put to death for such an act. To repeal the Human Rights legislation would be a step backwards and anyone advocating that view clearly hasn’t read his/her history.
    Let Abu Qatada chase himself around in legal circles. The cost to us is small compared to the cost to society of not having these laws.

  • Daran

    “European Human Rights”
    Were we not doing just fine without these laws Eugene? I think we were.
    “It is laws like these that allows you (and me) to be free to express out political views”
    No, freedom of speech is now at more risk than ever. Political or other talk. Just ask any comedian that for example makes a joke related to race.
    “It is with in living memory, here in Europe, one could be put to death for such an act”
    Do you live in one of those countries Eugene? No. So why the stupid comment? It’s like suggesting we are duty bound to implement laws like this to stop brutal acts of repression like are carried out in China. There has been no need for these laws in most West European nations since the end of the second world war.
    “To repeal the Human Rights legislation would be a step backwards and anyone advocating that view clearly hasn’t read his/her history.”
    Cleary a grand statement expressing YOUR opinion, which is valid in a country of free speech but is not a statement of undeniable fact.

  • Daran

    “Write to Jacqui Smith and request his deportation.”
    Jacqui Smith, LOL!! What a joker Steve. Probably too busy watching porn with her hubby to answer any letters….
    Perhaps that’s where she gets her expertise in screwing the public with her expenses.
    Sorry, couldn’t resist.