Burnham calls for grooming gang ringleader to be deported

Andy Burnham has said he will ask the home and foreign secretaries to "review all possible options" to deport the ringleader of a notorious Rochdale grooming gang. Shabir Ahmed is due to be released from jail this week, after being convicted for multiple counts of rape and sexual offences against girls in 2012. Ahmed had dual British-Pakistani citizenship and was stripped of his British citizenship following his conviction. The Home Office said it was working with other government departments to explore options in the case. Burnham, who is widely expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister later this month, said he wanted to see Ahmed removed from the country. But documents shared online, reportedly from the Probation Service, say Ahmed cannot be deported back to Pakistan because of a law that bars his removal. Ahmed's victims have said they fear for their safety ahead of his expected release from jail. In a post on X , external , Burnham wrote: "Like everyone, I want this vile criminal out of the country. Victims must come first. …