Senior lawyers have warned it is unlikely social housing tenants convicted of taking part in last week's riots would be evicted – despite intensifying ministerial support for councils pursuing exclusions.

Prime minister, David Cameron; communities secretary, Eric Pickles; and housing minister, Grant Shapps, have pledged support for authorities seeking to evict convicted tenants – while Wandsworth LBC in south London has become the first council to serve an eviction notice on a resident following the disturbances.