A leaked transcript from 2013 has revealed a shocking admission from Theresa May about the handling of immigrants in the UK.
The government has come under a barrage of criticism following revelations about the Windrush Generation.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said it is “an absolute scandal that the Home Office doesn’t even know how many people they have wrongly deported”, adding that the Prime Minister is directly responsible for creating a hostile environment as Home Secretary which has contributed to the current crisis.
A transcript from Tuesday 22 October 2013, leaked by Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council Miqdaad Versi, shows how the current turmoil may have come to be.
In a House of Commons debate, Mrs May said:
“I will set out the elements of the Bill in context. First, the Bill will cut abuse of the appeal process. It will streamline the labyrinthine legal process, which at present allows appeals against 17 different Home Office decisions—17 different opportunities for immigration lawyers to cash in and for immigrants who should not be here to delay their deportation or removal. By limiting the grounds for appeal to four—only those that engage fundamental rights—we will cut that abuse.
“Secondly, we will extend the number of non-suspensive appeals so that, where there is no risk of serious and irreversible harm, we can deport first and hear appeals later. We will also end the abuse of article 8. There are some who seem to think that the right to family life should always take precedence over public interest in immigration control and when deporting foreign criminals. The Bill will make the view of Parliament on the issue very clear. Finally, the Bill will clamp down on those who live and work in the UK illegally and take advantage of our public services. That is not fair to the British public and to the legitimate migrants who contribute to our society and economy.”
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