MCCONNELL CHALLENGED TO INSTRUCT ARREST OF HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS OVER ASYLUM REMOVALS

The First Minister was today (Thursday) challenged to instruct the Lord Advocate to pursue Home Office Immigration Officers for breach of the peace if any further asylum removals take place involving children, following a landmark ruling in the House of Lords on Wednesday (21st March). Christine Grahame MSP, the SNP’s Social Justice spokeswoman, raised the issue during First Minister’s Question Time and accused Scottish Ministers of hiding in the shadows over the issue. She said:

“The landmark ruling [Huang Vs Secretary of State for the Home Department] made yesterday in the House of Lords allows Scottish Ministers to act and intervene to stop the draconian removal of children, many of whom have lived peacefully in Scotland for years.

“The senior legal advice I have obtained following this ruling would allow for Chief Constables, under guidance from the Lord Advocate, to arrest and charge Home Office immigration officials for breach of the peace for the forced removal of children, a practice which is in breach of their human rights as well as their rights under Scots law.

“There is now also a clear locus for Social Work to be involved and take children into care where Home Office officials attempt to remove and deport them, causing them untold psychological distress.

“Scottish Ministers have a clear responsibility to protect and uphold the law. The ruling yesterday in the Lords means that Scottish Ministers can no longer hide behind their tired claim that this is purely a reserved matter to Westminster.  They have a duty and obligation, both moral and legal, to act in the interests of children who are dragged from their beds in the middle of the night by immigration officials dressed in black body armour.

“Such a practice is barbaric and following this ruling it is clearly illegal and the Lord Advocate should instruct the Police to arrest any Home Office official who attempts to continue this policy which is neither in the interests of the child or the communities of which they are part.”

SNP It’s time.....