LONDON, April 26 (UPI) -- The failure to deport more than 1,000 foreigners released from British jails rocked the British Parliament Wednesday.
The prisoners freed between 1999 and last month included three murderers, nine rapists, five paedophiles, 20 drug smugglers and 28 convicted of immigration offences, including human trafficking.
Since last July, when the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair was officially notified of situation by the National Audit Office, 288 foreign inmates were released improperly, The Times of London reported.
"In view of the information released overnight, and 288 criminals released after the government knew about this problem, I am sorry to say to the home secretary that his position is now untenable," David Davis, the opposition Conservative Party spokesman on foreign affairs said in Parliament.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke apparently offered twice to resign when the row first surfaced, but Blair turned him down.
