A court has upheld Theresa May’s decision to bar controversial Muslim public speaker from the country. The Home Secretary excluded Dr Zakir Naik from the UK on 16 June this year and today the court said it upheld that decision.

Theresa May welcomed the judgement: “I am pleased the court has upheld my decision to exclude Dr Naik. An individual will be excluded if their presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. We make no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they might seek to undermine our society.”

She continued: “Coming to the UK is a privilege not a right and we are not willing to allow those who might not be conducive to the public good to enter the UK. Exclusion powers are very serious and no decision is taken lightly.”

The Home Office will be seeking its legal costs from the other side.

Home Office press release, 5 November 2010

Read the text of the judgment here.