4,000 foreign convicts released straight back onto UK's streets last year

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Despite a promise by Gordon Brown to deport them, 4,150 burglars, muggers and other convicts remained in the UK.

Many were allowed to stay because of human rights laws or an EU directive making it harder to remove criminals from other European nations.

Behind bars: But many foreign convicts, who were meant to be deported after release, have been allowed back out onto the streets

The figures were obtained by the Conservatives on the same day the Government declared 'record numbers' of foreign convicts were being removed.

The Tory figures reveal that 8,350 foreign nationals were freed from UK prisons in 2007.

But, according to the Home Office, only 4,200 were deported or removed. This figure also includes offenders released in previous years.

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'The Government still has not got a grip on this issue. Public safety will continue to be put at risk by this failure.'

Shortly after becoming Premier last June, Mr Brown declared: 'If you commit a crime, you will be deported. You play by the rules or face the consequences.'

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne announced that more than 2,400 foreign lawbreakers have been deported since January, putting the UK Border Agency on track to improve on last year's figure.

Mr Byrne said the most harmful were being removed first, including 15 killers and 137 sex offenders.