Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to the news that Parliament has been misled by the Home Secretary and Minister of State for Security on seeking assurances from the US on extraditions that could result in death penalties, said:

“Written statements provided by the Government yesterday to the High Court directly contradict statements and assurances made to Parliament in July by Sajid Javid and Ben Wallace.

“The Government must urgently clarify why it failed to seek assurances over the death penalty from the US government. Our policies should not be bent to the whims of the US President.”