UK NEWS

SHAMBLES ON SHAM WEDDINGS

Illegal immigrants given the green light for sham marriages

Thursday May 24,2007

By Tom Whitehead

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(5)

ILLEGAL immigrants were given the green light to use bogus marriages to enter the UK yesterday after judges ruled a Government crackdown was illegal.

Legitimate migrants here temporarily will also be able to use sham marriages to beat immigration controls and stay indefinitely.

Strict Home Office rules requiring virtually anyone under immigration control to seek permission to wed were introduced to cut a feared 15,000 bogus marriages a year. Under the system, anyone here unlawfully or allowed to stay for just a few months were barred from marrying in a move which saw a dramatic fall on bogus marriage reports.

But the Court of Appeal yesterday ruled the policy breached a human right to marry, leaving the successful tactic in tatters. It upheld a High Court ruling in three test cases, including an Algerian illegal immigrant who was barred from marrying his Polish fiancee.

Lord Justice Buxton, sitting with Lords Justices Waller and Lloyd, said the right to marry was “recognised as an important and fundamental right, not to be lightly interfered with”.

These judges live in cloud cuckoo land. Marriage to a British citizen is a meal ticket for life

Sir Andrew Green, Migrationwatch UK

But critics warned last night that it will encourage thousands to get into Britain.

Taxpayers could be left footing the bill as couples denied the right to marriage threatened to sue the Home Office. Sir Andrew Green, head of Migrationwatch UK, said: “These judges are living in cloud cuckoo land. Marriage to a British citizen provides a meal ticket for life. The sharp fall in applications resulting from the new requirements is crystal-clear evidence of widespread abuse.”

Tory MP and former Home Office minister Ann Widdecombe said: “We cannot expect ministers to control immigration if the courts continually frustrate them. Perhaps judges would like to inform us what deterrent there is now for not using marriage as a route to get in to the UK unlawfully.”

But shadow immigration minister Damian Green laid the blame firmly at the Government’s door, adding: “Yet again John Reid has failed to deliver. His tough talk has simply failed to be matched by effective action.”

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: “We will be looking at the judgment carefully before deciding whether we will appeal to the House of Lords.”

The strict rules were introduced in 2004 by then Home Secretary David Blunkett amid fears as many as 15,000 foreigners were using sham marriages every year. The move to the number of reported bogus marriages dropping dramatically to less than 300 a year.

STOP COMPENSATION CULTURE

25.05.07, 7:51am

We have to make our own rules! we prosecute for under age sex yet allow foreigners child brides that have been taken advantage of with no freedom of choice. they should at least be forced by law to abstain until child is of legal age and prison if child becomes pregnant. this culture thing needs a complete re-think urgently.

• Posted by: WHAT4 • Report Comment

SHAM WEDDINGS

24.05.07, 8:50pm

I think it is time Juges were forced to retire at 30 they do too much damage to the country to stay any longer

• Posted by: syd • Report Comment

BLINKERED.............

24.05.07, 12:31pm

Compared to the outpourings of British Judges when interpreting the Human Rights Act the Flat Earth Society appear as a beacon of commonsense.

• Posted by: James • Report Comment

ECHR EUROPEAN CRMINALS HUMAN RIGHTS

24.05.07, 11:57am

Leace Europe and its ridiculous laws and send the invaders home why is the UK the only country in the EU to enforce these laws literally to aid and abet criminals and terrorist scum!

• Posted by: The_Way_I_See_It • Report Comment