Former Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has called for the UK to challenge the European Court of Human Rights over restrictions on deporting foreign prisoners to countries like Afghanistan.
Speaking to GB News, Chalk questioned whether returning offenders to certain regions of Afghanistan truly constituted "torture or human or degrading treatment" as defined by the ECHR.
"I think we should be testing the ECHR," Chalk said, advocating for a more robust approach to foreign prisoner deportation.
The former Justice Secretary revealed he had "sweated blood, metaphorically speaking" in efforts to remove foreign national offenders from UK prisons.
Alex Chalk has urged Labour to 'challenge the ECHR' in getting more foreign criminals deported
GB News / PA
Chalk disclosed that out of 10,500 foreign nationals currently in UK prisons, approximately 6,000 are on remand and await trial.
"Because they're not guilty of an offence, you can't do anything with them," he explained.
Of the remaining prisoners, Chalk noted that deportation options are limited for those from certain countries.
"Some are from countries where were not allowed to send people back; Afghanistan, Syria, for example," he said.
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England and Wales have one of the highest prison population rates in Western EuropePAHe added: "We should be testing the ECHR. We also legislated that if a foreign national offender gets to within 18 months of their release date, we will tell them, ‘sling your hook, get out of the country.’
“I think it was the right thing to do to try and get [foreign national offenders] out of the country.”
Chalk highlighted the Conservative government's extensive prison building programme, pointing to several major facilities.
He told GB News: "Just in the last couple of years, we opened HMP Fosse Way, that's about 1,600 people. HMP Five Wells we did the year before, that's another 1,600 people. Millsike will be another 1,600.
Chalk told GB News that foreign criminals should be told to 'sling their hook'
GB News
"These are big, closed prisons, none of your open prison stuff. These are big, barbed wire prisons with secure walls."
Chalk addressed the challenges facing the prison system, emphasising the need for more closed prison facilities.
He stated: "The real issue that we've got is the number of closed prison places. In other words, thick concrete walls to stop the guys from getting out.
"That has got to be the centre of effort - how are you going to ensure that you've got enough places for the murderers, the rapists, the terrorists, the arsonists."
