MP Julian Brazier has raised questions in the House of Commons over the Home Secretary’s approach to deporting suspected terrorists and criminals.

It arose during questions relating to the exclusion from Britain of Michael Savage, a radical critic of Islam.

MP David Winnick asked Home Secretary Jacqui Smith what the reaction would have been if Savage had said what he said about Muslims about Christians or Jews.

Miss Smith said: “Had an Islamic preacher said the equivalent about killing 100 million Jews, there would rightly have been outrage.

"There would have been - as there have been from Conservative members - calls for that individual to be excluded.

"In developing our policy we have taken an even-handed approach in saying that if people foment hate - if their aim is to drive division between different faiths and potentially to cause inter-community violence in this country - then they are not welcome in this country."

Mr Brazier said: “If it is an even-handed approach, could the Home Secretary explain why we have welcomed back to this country from Guantanamo Bay two UK residents, but not citizens, who are not only suspected terrorists in Afghanistan but wanted on murder charges in Spain?”

Miss Smith said the Government had wanted to see Guantanamo Bay closed and in order to help do that the Government had accepted back and sought the return to this country of those who are nationals and have previously been resident in the UK.

“I think that President Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo Bay is the right one, not solely because of the individuals there but because of the ability that that gives us internationally to take forward the sort of values that we hold and the US holds in fighting and tackling terrorism.

Afterwards Mr Brazier said: “The Home Secretary’s alleged even-handed approach has welcomed two suspected terrorists who are also wanted for murder in Spain.

"We should exclude foreign criminals and deport them for trial.”