Nearly 1,400 foreign criminals have been freed from jail early despite Government promises to crack down on overseas offenders, it has been revealed.

Figures obtained by the Conservatives showed that in the last year 767 European Union citizens and 617 non-EU nationals have benefited from a scheme which allows them to be freed 18 days early.

Although the offenders involved were not liable for deportation, the Tories claimed it undermined pledges by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to get tough on foreign criminals.

Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said: "Far from removing foreign national prisoners from the country as Gordon Brown pledged, the Government has actually released nearly 1,400 of them early onto our streets in less than a year.

"For every two prisoners which ministers claim to have removed, another one has been released early.

Last year Mr Brown told foreign lawbreakers in a newspaper article: "If you commit a crime you will be deported from our country.

"I am not prepared to tolerate a situation where we have people breaking the rules in our country when we cannot act. That will be toughened up."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Last year 4,200 people were deported for breaking the law and we have pledged to remove more foreign national prisoners this year than ever before.

"Those foreign national prisoners not eligible for deportation who have been released under ECL make up just 6 per cent of all releases, up to 18 days early, under the scheme."

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