The UK Minister for Immigration has praised immigration laws that bar certain criminals from entering the UK, using convicted rapist Mike Tyson as an example.
Mark Harper said that the laws – which were rolled out last year barring people who had been sentenced to more than four years in prison from entering the UK – have meant that Tyson is not allowed to enter the UK for his planned book tour.
“Immigration laws apply whether they are famous or not,” Mr Harper told The Telegraph newspaper, when commenting on the case of former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson, who has been forced to pull out of publicity tours for his new book. Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992 and was handed a six-year jail sentence, of which he served three years.
Mr Harper said: “For those guilty of serious offences, and of course Tyson is a convicted rapist, if people are being convicted of an offence for which they have been sentenced to imprisonment of at least four years, then we will refuse entry to the United Kingdom.
“So I think saying in Parliament, making it very clear, that we have toughened the immigration laws people who are criminals who want to come to the United Kingdom will find if they have been found guilty of serious crimes then they won’t be able to come here and I think that is very welcome.
“This is very important, people have to obey the law, this Government makes no apology for toughening up in 2012 and they will apply to people evenly,” he added.