As well as announcing that Gary McKinnon will not be extradited to the US on charges of computer hacking, the Home Secretary today announced a number of changes to the way extradition is handled in this country. These changes will mean:
1. The Home Secretary is introducing a ‘forum bar’, which allows a British court to prevent prosecution overseas if it believes a trial in Britain would be fairer.
2. Future Home Secretaries will not be able to exercise discretion on human rights grounds as Theresa May did today. May said the matter should be for the High Court, and that the government will introduce primary legislation to enable this change.
3. The Government will look again at ways to cut down delays in the extradition process, including examining the legal aid provision for terror suspects in national security cases, reforming rights of appeal and streamlining the stages in the process.
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