I'll deport 4,000 foreign prisoners, vows Brown

Gordon Brown has promised to deport 4,000 foreign prisoners this year.

The Prime Minister vowed to make a vast increase on the 2,700 sent home last year.

There are currently more than 12,000 foreign convicts in Britain's overcrowded prison system - 15 per cent of the 80,000-strong jail population.

Mr Brown said: 'We are going to take a far tougher line. I want a message to go out - if you come here you work and learn our language. If you commit a crime you will be deported. You play by the rules or you face the consequences.'

He told the Sun: 'I'm not prepared to tolerate a situation where we have people breaking the rules in our country when we cannot act.'

Many foreign criminals are currently kept in prison even after the end of their sentence - further clogging up the prisons - because proceedings to send them home have not been started.

The pledge came as Mr Brown prepared for the start of a bruising Parliamentary battle over the length of time police can hold terror suspects without charge.

As he unveils a sweeping review of counter-terrorism strategy, the Prime Minister will tell MPs there is now evidence to extend the current controversial 28-day limit. He is backed by chief constables, who want suspects held for 'as long as it takes' to get evidence for prosecution.