Last night it emerged Alan Johnson will not stand in the way of the extradition having reviewed new medical evidence.
Mr Johnson said sending the 43-year-old to the US would not breach his human rights.
Mr McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, is wanted in the US accused of breaking into confidential military computers.
The 43-year-old has admitted hacking into 97 computers between 2001 and 2003 but has maintained he was looking for information of UFOs.
His legal team has confirmed they will attempt to launch a last-ditch attempt to block the extradition to the States, where he faces 60 years in prison, if found guilty.
His lawyer, Karen Todner, said: 'It's a devastating blow but we are not going to give up. We are certainly coming to the end of the road.
'We're just hoping at some point someone sees sense and steps in. All the legal team do know is we cannot give up because in some ways it's like dealing with a death row case, and we genuinely believe that Gary's life is at stake here.'
His representatives are expected to issue judicial review proceedings next week after a deadline was set at seven days.
If that failed, they will take the case to the European court of human rights, Ms Todner added.
Speaking with the BBC, Mr McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, revealed her son had reacted 'very badly' to the news.
'It's a disgusting decision. Gary has been in a heightened state of terror for almost eight years,' she said.
'To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric.'
Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, which has continually campaigned against the extradition, added: 'The shoddy treatment of this vulnerable man should demonstrate that our rotten extradition laws need urgent reform.'
Mr Johnson said sending the 43-year-old to the US would not breach his human rights.
Mr McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, is wanted in the US accused of breaking into confidential military computers.
The 43-year-old has admitted hacking into 97 computers between 2001 and 2003 but has maintained he was looking for information of UFOs.
His legal team has confirmed they will attempt to launch a last-ditch attempt to block the extradition to the States, where he faces 60 years in prison, if found guilty.
His lawyer, Karen Todner, said: 'It's a devastating blow but we are not going to give up. We are certainly coming to the end of the road.
'We're just hoping at some point someone sees sense and steps in. All the legal team do know is we cannot give up because in some ways it's like dealing with a death row case, and we genuinely believe that Gary's life is at stake here.'
His representatives are expected to issue judicial review proceedings next week after a deadline was set at seven days.
If that failed, they will take the case to the European court of human rights, Ms Todner added.
Speaking with the BBC, Mr McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, revealed her son had reacted 'very badly' to the news.
'It's a disgusting decision. Gary has been in a heightened state of terror for almost eight years,' she said.
'To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric.'
Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, which has continually campaigned against the extradition, added: 'The shoddy treatment of this vulnerable man should demonstrate that our rotten extradition laws need urgent reform.'
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