THE UK has a reputation for interpreting EEC ‘laws’ more strictly than anyone else.

There’s a joke which refers to the French and Germans writing the rules, Britain following them to the letter (and beyond) while the Italians and Greeks say ‘rules, what rules?’ We’re the only country that, for example, worries about supposed rules on ‘straight-ness’ in cucumbers and bananas.

Immigration Minister Damian Green yesterday spoke of his frustration that UK courts have adopted a stricter interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights than the European Court in Strasbourg itself.

The best example is the case of Blackburn youngster Amy Houston who died after being run over by a failed asylum seeker illegally driving a car.

In the eight years since, her dad has campaigned to have the offender sent back to Iraq.

But despite his collecting a number of other convictions over the years, our courts have refused to deport the man, Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, because he has fathered two children here.

There should be no argument. We should behave like other countries and put the public interest in removing offenders before any supposed ‘right to family life’.