‘Two-tier justice' quango member attacked illegal migrant crackdown
A member of the quango behind 'two-tier justice' rules attacked the Tories' tighter restrictions on illegal immigration, The Telegraph can reveal.
The Sentencing Council has drawn up guidance that comes into effect on Tuesday telling judges to consider an offender's racial, cultural and religious backgroun d.
Critics have described the move as an example of 'two-tier justice' and Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, is expected to introduce emergency legislation to block the guidelines.
Johanna Robinson, one of the advisers on the council, spoke out against the Illegal Migration Bill – which has since become law – when MPs voted in favour of it in April 2023.
The legislation gives the Home Secretary powers to detain and deport any migrant who arrives illegally in the UK to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.
Sharing a Guardian report of the Commons vote, Ms Robinson wrote on X: 'This removes the protection of the most vulnerable people. Forced removal of people due to their method of seeking sanctuary regardless of their circumstances and abuse experienced. I am appalled.'
The law was a key part of Rishi Sunak's crackdown on small boat crossings in the Channel, one of his flagship pledges while in office.
The Illegal Migration Bill was not passed until July 2023 because peers tabled nine Commons amendments demanding changes on detention and deportation time limits, as well as modern slavery protections.
Suella Braverman, who was the home secretary at the time, told The Telegraph: 'The Illegal Migration Act was absolutely necessary to keep the British people safe and take back control of our borders.
'Parliament should make policy, not unelected bureaucrats. These people are not asylum seekers but illegal migrants, and to suggest otherwise is a complete fantasy.
'The Sentencing Council needs to be abolished. It's out of touch and the creation of an establishment that has no idea what life in Britain is really like or how damaging illegal immigration is for the British people.'
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, called for Ms Robinson to be sacked. 'It's little wonder the council is watering down sentences for immigration offences to below the threshold for deportation when they have open-border activists like Robinson working for them,' he said.
'The Justice Secretary should use her power of appointment to sack her from the Sentencing Council immediately.'
In a separate post a month before, Ms Robinson backed Gary Lineker, the BBC television presenter, after his comments about Mrs Braverman.
Lineker briefly stepped back as presenter of Match of the Day after likening her rhetoric on migrants to that of 1930s Germany.
Alongside a video of the television presenter being doorstepped by journalists, Ms Robinson wrote: 'Whatever your politics, this really demonstrates the potential power of speaking up and the possibilities of public support. People know your power, government be afraid.'
Ms Robinson also praised the first police chief to say that their force was institutionally racist and discriminatory.
In May 2023, Sir Iain Livingstone, the former chief constable of Police Scotland, said that prejudice in the force was 'rightly of great concern' after a review uncovered accounts of racism, sexism and homophobia by officers.
Sir Iain told a press conference: 'It is the right thing for me to do, as chief constable, to clearly state that institutional racism, sexism, misogyny and discrimination exist.'
In a post on LinkedIn, Ms Robinson said: 'Leadership requires bravery, stepping into the uncomfortable, reflection and listening to experiences other than our own and then a willingness for challenge and change.
'As Police Scotland follow this journey we have an example [of] the acceptance of the problem and responsibility… We have to address the issues, we do have the tools for change.'
While Ms Robinson has a disclaimer in her X biography that reads 'views my own', her remarks will probably fuel further criticism from those who believe the council is biased.
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