UK to opt out of EU police plans

Tory MP John Baron said he welcomed the Government's proposals to opt-out of more than 130 European Police and Criminal Justice measures. Mr Baron said it would be better to go further and rule out any proposed 'opt-ins' in the future:

The Home Secretary Theresa May announced that the Government does intend to opt-out of more than 130 European Police and Criminal Justice measures.

"The Government's current thinking is that we will opt out of all pre-Lisbon Police and Criminal Justice measures and then negotiate with the member states and the Commission those individual measures that it is our national interests to rejoin."

"It is the national interest that the Government has taken this decision."

The move will be put to a vote in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Labour MP Chris Bryant has hit out at Government plans to 'opt-out' of 130 cross-border agreements, including the European arrest warrant. He said:

"The Government is playing politics with our national security. [...] I cannot understand why the Home Secretary would want to opt out of that. The truth of the matter is that criminality crosses borders every single day of the week."

Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to announce that the Government will opt out of a number of EU police and justice measures.

In a move that may inflame coalition tensions May is expected to use a Commons statement later today to confirm plans to exercise a treaty right to withdraw from 130 cross-border agreements, including the European arrest warrant.