Abu Qatada: Tories to fight next election on wholesale human rights reform, says Chris Grayling

Chris Grayling, who as the Justice secretary and Lord Chancellor is the Cabinet minister in charge of the human rights policy, also suggested that the Tories would advocate wholesale withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Mr Grayling was speaking hours after radical preacher Abu Qatada was extradited to Jordan, ending a decade long legal battle which had been built on human rights laws.

The terrorism suspect has landed in Jordan after his plane left at about 2.45am on Sunday morning, following a legal battle that cost more than £1.7 million.

The case prompted calls for reforms to human rights laws to make it easier to eject foreign criminals from the country.

Pressed on BBC1’s Sunday Politics, Mr Grayling said: “A future Conservative Government with a majority will make wholesale changes to human rights laws.”

_{Handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence of Abu Qatada (left) at RAF Northolt. Photo: PA}

Asked if Britain could leave the European Convention on Human Rights, Mr Grayling said: “Yes it does. We have been very clear we are currently doing detailed work on options.

“I have personal responsibility for human rights issues we are currently looking at what the options are.”

^{Abu Qatada at RAF Northolt in West London boarding a private flight bound for Jordan.}

Mr Grayling said the Tories would set out the legal basis for the plans this Autumn.

He said: “We will come up later this year with a clear plan and we will go into the next election in our manifesto with a clear plan for change setting out what we will do, when we will do it, how we will do it, what the legal basis will be. We will have that in good time for the election.”

Soon after Abu Qatada’s flight took off, Theresa May, the Home Secretary said the UK’s relationship with the European Court of Human Rights must change, adding that “nothing should be off the table”.

“I am glad that this government's determination to see him on a plane has been vindicated and that we have at last achieved what previous governments, Parliament and the British public have long called for,” she said.

“This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country.

“I am also clear that we need to make sense of our human rights laws and remove the many layers of appeals available to foreign nationals we want to deport. We are taking steps - including through the new Immigration Bill - to put this right.”

David Cameron said he was “absolutely delighted” that Abu Qatada has been deported after an eight-year fight to throw him out of Britain.

The Prime Minister said it was “excellent news” that the 53-year-old cleric, once described as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe, was no longer in the UK.

“I was absolutely delighted,” Mr Cameron said. “This was something this Government said it would get done and we have got it done.

“It’s an issue that, like the rest of the country, has made my blood boil that this man who has no right to be in our country, who was a threat to our country and that it took so long and was so difficult to deport him. But we’ve done it, he’s back in Jordan, and that’s excellent news.”

Abu Qatada is facing terrorism charges in Jordan but his deportation was blocked over concerns that he may not receive a fair trial.

The European Court of Human rights ruled that he could not be deported due to a risk that evidence obtained under torture could be used against him.

Following numerous courtroom battles, a treaty was signed between the British and Jordanian governments that finally secured Qatada's departure.

Abu Qatada agreed in May to leave Britain once the treaty had been fully ratified, a process which was completed earlier this week.

However, the length of time and cost to taxpayers, which included almost £900,000 in legal aid for Qatada to fight his case, has angered MPs and campaigners.