After hundreds of people plus MPs, human rights and community organisations helped to campaign for Dianne Ngoza to stay in Manchester, she was not unlawfully removed from the UK today as scheduled.
Dianne is a Zambian nurse and anti-destitution campaigner who has lived in the UK for 14 years and has a daughter here. But two weeks ago she was detained, firstly at Dallas Court in Salford, and then at the Yarl's Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire for deportation, despite having an ongoing appeal (for background see previous Salford Star articles*).
This morning, Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell was told that the Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill would cancel the removal instructions so Dianne's case could be considered. But the Home Office failed to communicate this to Dianne or her solicitor
It left Dianne's solicitor Mervyn Cross with no option other than to lodge judicial review proceedings this afternoon to challenge Dianne's removal from the UK while she had an application with the Home Office pending. Otherwise there would have been nothing to prevent the Home Office from making further attempts to remove her from the UK.
"It was not our intention to lodge litigation but it has been almost a week now that we have been trying to communicate with the Home Office, simply to confirm that they would stop Dianne's flight because she had a valid application pending" explained Mr Cross.
"However, they failed to respond, not just to our communication but in their statutory obligation to respond when we notified them of our intention to lodge court proceedings" he added "At the eleventh hour, we have now issued judicial review proceedings which prevent the Home Office from removing her. In our opinion, this is a waste of public funds: all they needed to do was simply communicate with us.
"We will now be asking for Dianne's immediate release from detention and, if that is not forthcoming, there is a bail application listed for the 6th December when we will be asking a judge for her immediate release" he said.
Speaking from Yarl's Wood, Dianne said: "It's been the longest day for me since I came to England. I am overwhelmed with what has happened today. At least I can breathe for a moment until the fight is over. I want to be at home and I need a decent meal."
Dianne's supporters throughout Greater Manchester, the UK and Europe bombarded the Immigration Minister, the Home Secretary and Kenya Airways with emails about the unlawful attempt to remove Dianne. One of the people who contacted Kenya Airways was 24 year old Remi Graves from London...
"My grandmother was a nurse from Ghana who came to live and work in UK in the mid fifties and it sickens me to think how our family might have been ripped apart by similar reprehensible actions from our UK Government" she said.
Lucy Powell also raised the case directly with the Immigration Minister, and other Members of Parliament who offered their support.
"Through sustained, detailed and collective action Dianne, and the very many organisations and individuals who have come together to challenge this unlawful act by the Home Office, have succeeded in stopping the state from forcing this woman onto a plane and deporting her to Zambia today" said Dr Rhetta Moran of human rights organisation RAPAR.
"Our struggle continues unabated until, firstly, Dianne is released from detention in Yarl's Wood and reunited with her family and friends in Manchester and Lancashire and, secondly, her right to live and work safely her in the UK is secured" she explained.
"To date, in this case, the actions of the Home Office, in their entirety, have been simply appalling" she added "When the state makes laws and rules, and then itself attempts to break those laws and transgress those rules, there is no reason for any of us, the people from the UK and the people who have come here as refugees or migrants, to believe that we are safe in their hands. Dianne is safe today because people have taken clear collective action."
* For a full background see previous Salford Star articles...
Unlawful Attempt to Remove Dianne Ngoza - click here
Shock as Manchester Campaigner Detained at Dallas Court Salford - click here
Home Office Disappears Dianne - click here
Support Dianne Festival in Piccadilly Gardens - click here
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