It's quite telling, isn't it?
Clarke is waiting until late Friday afternoon before releasing his statement... we don't think he has happy news to share.
UPDATE - Speak of the devil. Statement just coming through...
They have found the most serious offenders (79 in number)... on a database. That's not the same as finding them, now is it? Only 6 of them have been detained pending removal.
5 convicted re-offenders. That they know about. So far. Drugs, GBH and violent disorder... but nothing of a "more serious nature" (Clarke's words). There was also an allegation of rape that did not result in a conviction (due to 'insufficient evidence') and there are two further allegations of sex offences being investigated.
More at Blair Watch.
BBC report.
Even before this news was released, two-thirds of voters believed that the home secretary should be sacked over the foreign prisoners scandal.
If Blair and Clarke continue as before, it's going to get very, very ugly for Labour.
(The way this news was released suggests that they are hoping that it will die down by Tuesday... that they can ride out a storm that will be reduced in size as journalists go into hibernation over the long weekend.)
UPDATE - Independent - Clarke: foreign criminals have reoffended (29 April): Mr Clarke also admitted that the checks had uncovered "a small number" of other police investigations that could lead to prosecutions. Most were minor offences, but two of them were accusations of sex crimes. In a further setback for Mr Clarke, one of those alleged offences was committed by someone released since he personally became aware of the problem.
And, in the same week that Charles Clarke boldly sought to reduce compensation costs with a 'mud sticks' clause, his incompetence has led to this:
Independent - Home Office faces huge compensation bill from victims of crimes: The Home Office could face large compensation claims from victims of any crimes committed by foreign offenders that should have been deported.
UPDATE - Speak of the devil. Statement just coming through...
They have found the most serious offenders (79 in number)... on a database. That's not the same as finding them, now is it? Only 6 of them have been detained pending removal.
5 convicted re-offenders. That they know about. So far. Drugs, GBH and violent disorder... but nothing of a "more serious nature" (Clarke's words). There was also an allegation of rape that did not result in a conviction (due to 'insufficient evidence') and there are two further allegations of sex offences being investigated.
More at Blair Watch.
BBC report.
Even before this news was released, two-thirds of voters believed that the home secretary should be sacked over the foreign prisoners scandal.
If Blair and Clarke continue as before, it's going to get very, very ugly for Labour.
(The way this news was released suggests that they are hoping that it will die down by Tuesday... that they can ride out a storm that will be reduced in size as journalists go into hibernation over the long weekend.)
UPDATE - Independent - Clarke: foreign criminals have reoffended (29 April): Mr Clarke also admitted that the checks had uncovered "a small number" of other police investigations that could lead to prosecutions. Most were minor offences, but two of them were accusations of sex crimes. In a further setback for Mr Clarke, one of those alleged offences was committed by someone released since he personally became aware of the problem.
And, in the same week that Charles Clarke boldly sought to reduce compensation costs with a 'mud sticks' clause, his incompetence has led to this:
Independent - Home Office faces huge compensation bill from victims of crimes: The Home Office could face large compensation claims from victims of any crimes committed by foreign offenders that should have been deported.
posted by Tim at 5:34 PM
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