Deportation issue raises Human Rights Act concerns

A county lines drug dealer has successfully avoided deportation after claiming that it would breach his human rights to a family life. The 29-year-old, who was jailed for eight years for drug supply, argued that returning to Nigeria would severely impact his mental health due to inadequate psychiatric care. Initially, an immigration tribunal dismissed his claims, labelling his family testimony as “a work of fiction”. However, the upper tribunal has now reversed the removal order, citing errors in law and a failure to assess his long-term ties to the UK. The case has drawn attention to the broader implications of human rights laws, with former Home Secretary Lord Howard advocating for reforms to prevent the subversion of parliamentary will. Professor Richard Ekins KC noted: “Any intelligent evaluation of the Human Rights Act requires one to be aware that its meaning and effect has changed, sometimes radically, over time and that it remains unstable.”