London — British Conservative MP Chris Philp has called for urgent amendments to the country’s human rights laws, arguing that they currently allow foreign criminals, including dangerous offenders, to avoid deportation on questionable legal grounds.
Philp, who serves as the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, criticised the current judicial interpretation of the Human Rights Act, claiming it places the safety of foreign offenders above the rights of British citizens. He highlighted the case of a Zimbabwean national convicted of paedophilia, who was allowed to remain in the UK despite his criminal record.
“There was a Zimbabwean paedophile who failed to be deported back to Zimbabwe,” said Philp. “A judge — I think using Article 3, not Article 8 — said no, the paedophile could not be sent back to Zimbabwe in case he faced some hostility. What about the rights of children in the United Kingdom to be protected from paedophiles? What about the rights of British citizens to be protected from foreign national offenders?”
Philp argued that such rulings undermine public safety and the authority of Parliament to determine who is permitted to remain in the country. He urged the government to support legislative changes included in a Bill backed by the Conservative Party that seeks to repeal aspects of the Human Rights Act relating to immigration and deportation.
The individual in question, whose identity has been withheld, is reportedly a white Zimbabwean with a British mother. He arrived in the UK in October 2017 at the age of 16. He was subsequently convicted in 2017 and 2018 of multiple offences, including sexual offences against children and possession and distribution of indecent images.
Philp’s comments come amid ongoing debate in Britain over immigration policy, judicial independence, and the balance between human rights and national security.
