Home Office 'Freezing Zimbabwe Removals in Summit Ploy' (Scotsman)

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10:49pm (UK)
Home Office 'Freezing Zimbabwe Removals in Summit Ploy'

By Vivienne Morgan and Joe Churcher, PA Political Staff

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4750446

A Labour former minister tonight accused the Home Office of ordering a temporary freeze on deportations to Zimbabwe to avoid embarrassment at the G8 summit.

Kate Hoey said immigration officials had been ordered to suspend the removals until after next week’s gathering at Gleneagles of the leaders of the major industrialised nations.


Ms Hoey, who has long been an outspoken critic of President Mugabe’s regime, also warned that the Government risked losing all credibility over Africa if it forcibly returned failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe.

She appealed to Live 8 organisers to demand G8 leaders “get their head out of the sand” and put Zimbabwe at the top of the agenda.