ACT NOW: Lobby minister on US-UK extradition deal

8.45.22am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 13th Jul 2006

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrats Shadow Home Secretary launches a letter-writing campaign

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrats Shadow Home Secretary, has launched a letter-writing campaign over the unfair extradition arrangements with the US.

Three former employees of Nat West bank, together with south Londoner Babar Ahmed and up to 20 more British residents, are going through extradition proceedings to the United States under a treaty signed in 2003 that grants fewer rights to British citizens than to Americans.

Just four Labour MPs voted in favour of the treaty in the symbolic vote called by the Liberal Democrats in Parliament on 12th July.

UK citizens can be extradited to the US without the United States having to make a clear "prima facie" case that they committed a crime. Yet we need to meet a much higher level of proof if we wish to extradite US citizens to the UK.

Adding insult to injury, the Government hasn't even convinced the US Senate to ratify the treaty.

The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning against this treaty for three years - ever since it was signed. The Liberal Democrats were the only party that voted against the extradition rules when they were brought into force.

The Nat West Three are only the tip of the iceberg. Many other extradition cases are in the pipeline, and will be decided under this unfair treaty unless the Government acts now.

How you can help

Please write to the Solicitor General and ask him to support Nick Clegg's Extradition (United States of America) Bill that would repeal parts of the Extradition Act 2003 and bring an end to these unfair extradition procedures:

Mike O'Brien

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

(Personal letters are the most effective way of lobbying him).