Home Security defends decision on terror policy

Theresa May has defended her decision to scrap relocation powers from measures designed to monitor terror suspects amid Labour claims that the move was a “mistake” that could have led to the likes of “Jihadi John” joining “Islamic State” or other groups in the Middle East.

Shadow Home Security Yvette Cooper said that since control orders were replaced with Tpims, two terror suspects subject to the new measures escaped the security services while others being monitored also apparently left for Syria to become involved in “brutal violence”.

Ms Cooper said: “You have finally restored the relocation power within the last few weeks so can you tell us – do you believe that your decision to remove relocation powers made it easier for this west London network to operate, recruit and send people to Syria?”

Mrs May replied: “You say the power to relocate has not always been there but what you fail to say is that the cases that have been raised in the media date from the time when control orders and the power of relocation were in place.

“And at no point has anybody from the police or security service said to me that if we had the power of relocation, we would be able to prevent people from travelling to Syria.”