Diana Johnson MP, Labour Shadow Crime and Security Minister, responding to a report on the Today programme showing how delays in surveillance contributed to Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed absconding, said:

“When Ministers introduced TPIMS for dangerous terror suspects we were promised 24-hour surveillance by specially trained officers, and that the Home Office would cover the cost.

“We now see how easy it was for Ibrahim Magag and Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed to abscond and have to ask what level of surveillance was in place. We only know how Magag got away because his cab driver subsequently recognised him. We rely on grainy CCTV footage to identify Mohamed.

“Ministers have repeatedly refused to confirm whether either suspect was under direct surveillance, but it is now time for the Home Secretary to come clean about what surveillance was in place, whether it was determined by Ministers or the Metropolitan Police, and why it took 48 hours to alert the public to Mohammed’s escape.

“The Home Secretary can’t hide behind national security. If there is important surveillance information that can’t be revealed publicly then the intelligence and security committee should be briefed on the full details of what happened.”