Preacher allowed to challenge exclusion in new blow for May

Home Secretary Theresa May faced fresh embarrassment today after a radical preacher won a court victory in his battle to stay in Britain.

Raed Salah was granted permission to launch multiple appeals against an immigration tribunal's decision to kick him out of the country.

A judge ruled the self-styled Palestinian "sheikh" could contest all six grounds under which it was initially decided he should leave the UK.

Mrs May banned the 52-year-old from entering Britain in June amid fears his views fostered hatred and anti-Semitism. However, days later, Salah walked through immigration controls at Heathrow airport and went on to speak to supporters across the country before he was arrested.

The ruling is a new blow for Mrs May, who has been under pressure this week following another border row. Last Saturday, it emerged that checks on non-EU nationals entering Britain's borders had been secretly relaxed and officials had stopped checking entrants against a warning list.

Salah, who is out on bail with an electronic tag, has been accused in Parliament of "virulent anti-Semitism" and has claimed the Israeli government was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

It is understood the Home Office's case may be weakened as officials allegedly relied on evidence provided by just one organisation - the Jewish group Community Security Trust - before issuing an exclusion order against Salah.

Salah's lawyer Tayab Ali said: "The Home Secretary has repeatedly exercised poor judgment and has consistently failed to show what evidence of actual harm might exist that would justify a government preventing Sheikh Salah from addressing legislators, policy makers and the British people."

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "An immigration tribunal has agreed Salah's removal would be conducive to the public good. As this decision is subject to an appeal it would be inappropriate to comment further."