GadgetVicar

Should He Stay or Should He Go?

My friend, Tom Harris has been in the headlines tonight. So, is he right? Should Gordon Brown stand down?

In Westminster

Good news this evening when Alison called to say that Rima's deportation has been cancelled. I was sitting at the Strangers Bar on the bank of the Thames when the call came and had just been talking about Rima's situation with an MP. He commented that asylum seekers are briefed to hook up with churches as they will aid their cause and to destroy their papers so that age and background are more difficult to discern. He also suggested the problem in this country is that for the last twelve years our immigration policy has been too open. Frankly, that hasn't been my experience, but what do I know? I still think we need to be generous and compassionate, pursuing procedures as far as they can be taken before anyone is deported.

I watched the large Tamil demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament. I am sad for their plight, yet know that the LTTE tactics were as shameful as the Sri Lankan government's. It's hard to know what to think or what to pray for. Magnanimity and reconciliation?

Morale at Westminster seems very low. I listened to a government whip exhort my blogging MP friend to fight back and not to be miserable about what is happening. Senior politicians, like some church leaders, don't like bloggers because they give an alternative voice, hence the whip's concern. My impression is that the government now has a bunker mentality and is out of touch with how people are feeling. They simply can't or won't see how bad this situation is. It is like the dying days of empire.

It was said to me this evening, "I don't want everyone to look at me and think that I'm a crook". No wonder MP's are feeling low. My friend's expenses will be published in a Scottish paper over the next few days as he has made them available. Tonight, I''ll sleep in his second home, a very modest former council flat in Pimlico. I don't think he has a moat or duck house to his name.

My central thought as I go to bed is that we need to pray for our MPs more now than ever. Maybe the current crisis will cause a few to consider their spiritual state, and those who have had integrity will need our ongoing support and encouragement.

Training, Parliament & Rima

I'm enroute to London via Virgin Trains Pendolino service. They used to say, "Let the train take the strain", and so far it's been stress-free. The outward ticket was only £10 extra for First Class, so I had to do it, didn't I? It won't be like this tomorrow night when I return in cattle class (First Class is an extra £100 for the return journey). Anyway, wifi, food and drink are all included and there are only two other people in the carriage. I quite like chatting to strangers on journeys, but I'll have to save that for tomorrow.

Tonight I hope to dine with, and stay in the second home of an MP. It should be a fascinating time to hear about the doings of our parliamentarians. Michael Martin's resignation is something of a sadness to me. I've had some business with him over the years, mainly to do with members of the congregation with immigration issues. On the whole, I've found him to be helpful. However, he does not come over well publicly and his outbursts over the expenses issue sealed his fate. What remains to be seen is how parliament clean up their act. I had my hair cut yesterday and the cutters were very angry indeed. When I said I might see an MP tomorrow, they invited me to give him a good kicking from them. I explained that I couldn't possibly do that. No wonder Gordon Brown is ruling out an autumn election.......

Rima has been moved to England, thus short circuiting the due legal process. I am sad and angry. The Herald has run an article. We go on praying for Rima and her friends here.

How is someone's age assessed? Can't we give people the benefit of the doubt? Or is meeting the quota of those to be kicked out all that matters? I grow increasingly dismayed at the UK's policies. We seem to be morally bankrupt in so many ways. Care and compassion - that would be my election platform.

Rima Update 2

From Alison & Robert Swinfen:

Thanks again to you all for the wonderful work done so far. We heard yesterday that the number of letters reaching the Scottish Government on this case is beyond anything in recent years. Yesterday, we were successful in securing an advocate for an urgent judicial review on Monday however, Rima was told late last night (Friday May 15^th) that she would be moved to a London Detention Centre in 20 minutes. She refused to cooperate, but they have told her that they will remove her on Sunday whether she cooperates or not. By moving her to England they frustrate justice, as the Scottish Judicial Review which is scheduled for Monday will not have jurisdiction.

We had already been informed by an email dated 13^th May 2009 from someone in the Home Office to the office of the Children’s Commissioner for Scotland that the IND intend to remove Rima from Dungavel to Harmondsworth on May 19^th, with an onward flight to Italy on May 21^st. As of May 16^th, neither Rima nor her legal advisor have been served with a Removal Order. This appears to be a deliberate attempt to serve the Order at short notice with an effect of reducing the chances of a legal or other challenge to it. They have now brought the transfer forward, the better to prevent justice being done.

 

Please email Jacqui Smith urgently, and telephone her office on Monday, to ask her to intervene to allow the normal process of UK justice to be done. Rima should stay in, or return to, Scotland so that her solicitor and barrister can proceed with the Judicial Review.

Office email address is public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Her parliamentary email address can be reached from http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/constituencies/redditch/messages/new

Home Office telephone number 020 7035 4848 and Houses of Parliament switchboard 020 7219 3000 (and don’t forget that she is a Right Hon!)

Rima Update

Please keep praying and writing to politicians.

Received from Alison last night:

Dear David,

 

This afternoon we were successful in getting an urgent application for judicial review with release. This is a real answer to prayer and something of a miracle. We will hear more tomorrow.

 

What continues to concern us is that the reply UK Border Authories sent to the Children's Commissioner to assure her that Rima's case had been adequately risk assessed, both here and in Italy, stated that she is to be removed to Harmondsworth on 19th May. Harmondsworth is an all male detention and entirely inappropriate for a vulnerable young girl.

Rima - Seeking Asylum

We heard in church yesterday from Alison and Robert Swinfen, about Rima who has been staying with them and attending St Silas'. Please pray for all of them and read the following:

Rima Andmariam is a 16 year old destitute asylum seeker from Eritrea who has been living in Glasgow. On  Friday 8^th May, despite a Judge’s tribunal ruling that her claim had not been addressed, she was taken to Dungavel Removal Centre for immediate deportation to Italy . Rima is terrified of returning to Italy where she suffered considerable trauma and was housed in a large derelict squat. Concern about Italy's treatment of asylum seekers is now well documented.

At the Tribunal Hearing to consider her destitution claim (Section 4) in March 2009 the judge concluded:

• That the Home Office had not considered her claim to asylum, and therefore Section 4 assistance could not apply
• That the Home Office had failed to provide any evidence to the hearing about why they were not dealing with the asylum claim
• That the Home Office should, as a matter of urgency, consider her asylum claim as she was totally destitute
• That the dispute over her age was also not her fault, and should be resolved as soon as possible.

 None of these actions have been taken on the part of the home office.

 We believe:

• That Rima should not be detained in Dungavel but bailed to somewhere more appropriate to a vulnerable and terrified young woman.
• That her experience of Italy, and reliable reports about Italian treatment of African asylum seekers mean that she has a well-based and understandable terror of return there
• That the length of time she has now spent in the UK makes it reasonable and just that her claim for asylum should be considered here
• That there is good evidence that Rima is under 18, and that the burden of proof on her is unreasonable in the circumstances
• That while her claim for asylum is considered she should be eligible for full NASS support, including the educational opportunities normal for a girl of her age.                                                 
  
• We ask that Rima be released from detention in Dungavel immediately and that she is allowed to pursue her claim for asylum in this country.

If you feel led to help, please write as a matter of urgency to the following:

First Minister - Alex Salmond
Office of the First Minister
St. Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
email: FirstMinister@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Home Secretary - Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP

Home Office

2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Tel: 020 7035 4848
Website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Email: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Sandra White MSP

Sandra.White.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Pauline McNeill MSP

Pauline.Mcneill.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Patrick Harvie MSP

Patrick.Harvie.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Prayers at the Inauguration

Some people are upset that Rick Warren will pray at President-elect Obama's inauguration. Some are especially annoyed because he has offered Saddleback Campus as a venue for Anglicans who might have to vacate their buildings following successful legal action by The Episcopal Church. Hopefully they'll be pleased and silenced by the news that Gene Robinson has also been asked to pray at one of the inaugural events. He promises not to be especially Christian.

Obama demonstrates something of the delicate balancing act he hopes to perform.

Update Thursday 15th January: The Saddleback aspect of this post has changed somewhat with the explanation of why Rick Warren offered kindness to the displaced Anglicans. 

God's Choice - US Election, November 4, 2008

Shunted

One casualty of the Gordon Brown's reshuffle is my old friend, Tom Harris, now the ex-minister for the railways. By many accounts, he was doing a great job and I think was very enthusiastic for his remit. So why was he shunted? Perhaps it was this 'miserable' story in June that did for him? Or is it a cull of Scots in the UK government? Or maybe it's just that his pretty open blogging just doesn't sit well with a government that is looking increasingly shaky. Such openness threatens institutions that like to control what is put in the public domain. Politicians, like church leaders, need to get with it and understand that things have changed: the worldwide interweb has given lots of people a voice they never had before. I suspect a lot of people appreciated the fact that a minister, albeit a junior one, regularly updated his blog on matters political and personal.

Tom will return to the back benches and continue to represent the people of Glasgow South. Who knows, he might well find himself in a position of influence when the current lot find themselves either out of a job completely or joining him on those benches come the next election?

In the meantime, keep up the good work, Irwin C. Gull (2!).

McCain's Running Mate

Having mentioned Barack, it seems only fair to mention John McCain's choice of vice-presidential running mate, Sarah Palin, the young governor of Alaska (hey, she's the same age as me!). How exciting is it that? Clever politics too, if it causes some disappointed Hilary Clinton voters to waiver and vote for McCain. Should he get elected and it all becomes too much for the old boy (72 today), there could be a woman in the Oval Office! Which will mean sensible government and that world peace will break out. Or then again, maybe not...