Home Office reveals those banned from entering UK
Tuesday, 5 May 2009 11:10 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
Those people banned from the UK for stirring-up hatred have been named by the Home Office for the first time.
Among a motley collection of different agendas, there are several Muslim preachers, white supremacists, and a homophobic Baptist minister.
The list was published as the home secretary announced new powers allowing the government to ban European nationals on the grounds of a threat to public policy or public security.
Among those banned were Abdullah Qadri Al-Ahdal, a preacher accused of glorifying terrorist violence, Stephen Donald Black, who set up racist website Stormfront and Fred Waldron Phelps Snr, pastor of Westboro Baptist Church.
Jacqui Smith said: "Coming to the UK is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life.
"Therefore, I will not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views as I want them to know that they are not welcome here."
Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: "What we need from the government is not the gimmick of a name and shame list but a consistent strategy on who can and can't come into the country."
Between October 28th 2008 and March 31st 2009, 22 people were barred from the UK on hatred grounds, although six of their names have been withheld.
Serious about politics?
Dedicate one year of your life to getting to the heart of current issues in global politics. Our courses allow you to specialise in development and policy-making, international relations, and political journalism and communications.
Newsletter sign up