Immigration laws will be strengthened to prevent the human rights act from protecting foreign criminals, says the home secretary.

The right to a family life is enshrined in the human rights act and allows criminals to stay in the UK if they have started a family in the UK.

In her speech to the Conservative party conference today, the home secretary will blame lax laws for a number of cases where courts ruled that criminals could stay in the country.

The new rules would ensure that people convicted of crimes could be deported, as well as those who started a family while living in the UK illegally or while relying on benefits.

The cabinet minister will also announce her desire to see the human rights act scrapped, which is likely to anger Liberal Democrat colleagues.

Mrs May proposed a review of the immigration laws following the publication of figures showing that a right to a family life – article eight of the European Convention on Human Rights – was the primary legal argument that foreign criminals or illegal immigrants were not deported last year.

In 2010, 102 appeals were granted after citing article eight.

Mrs May said that the case of Aso Mohammed Ibrahim had heavily influenced her decision. The Iraqi, who had a driving ban, was found guilty of killing a 12 year-old girl during a hit and run incident. He was jailed for four months, but was allowed to remain in the UK on his release because he had a “family life” in the UK.