NEWS RELEASE - Asylum demonstration

Posted on September 30, 2005

CHILDREN OF ASYLUM SEEKERS: HARVIE DEMANDS ACTIONS NOT WORDS FROM MCCONNELL

[Pictures by Billy, added on 2/10/5]

Speaking at a demonstration in Glasgow tomorrow, Green MSP Patrick Harvie will challenge the First Minister to act over the treatment of children of asylum seekers. He will say that McConnell must heed calls for an immediate suspension of ‘dawn raids’ carried out against families by immigration officials whilst the Executive and the Home Office work out a ‘protocol’ to tackle what Scottish Ministers themselves have described as ‘unacceptable’ behaviour in the removal of children from their homes.

The call follows the deportation of the Vucaj family who have been living in Glasgow for the past five years. They were forcibly taken from their home in a dawn raid last month (September), then subjected to another removal on Thursday at 4am and sent to Kosovo later that day. (1)

Jack McConnell said on Thursday when challenged by Patrick Harvie at First Minister’s Questions that he had been in dialogue with Charles Clarke and that they had agreed that a protocol would be advisable. This could mean that Scottish responsibilities for social care, human rights and education would come into play when dealing with asylum seekers and their children.

Patrick Harvie, Glasgow MSP and Speaker on Justice, who led the recent Green debate in Parliament which prompted the First Minister to break his silence on the issue, will say: “If the protocol is needed to protect child welfare, it follows by the FM’s own logic that until it is in place the removals must be halted. Only an immediate suspension will add credibility to the First Minister’s commitment a week ago. The removal of the Vucaj family this week renders inadequate any conversations so far between the Home Office and McConnell.

“Although the UK Government has chosen to opt out of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Home Office must accept that the Scottish Parliament has not. We still hold to its articles, and we will defend the rights of children accordingly.”

Greens challenged the First Minister in Parliament on Thursday but Jack McConnell did not comment on the plight of the Vucaj family. Nor did he answer the question on whether he would support an immediate suspension of ‘dawn raids’ whilst the issue was under review. This is despite McConnell’s highly-publicised meeting with pupils from Drumchapel High School who campaigned for the family to be allowed to stay, and despite the Executive claiming that working towards a protocol is a “success”.

Harvie added, “It would seem that McConnell is happy to pose for the cameras with the supporters of the Vucaj family - yet when challenged on the family’s mistreatment, he conveniently claims he cannot comment on individual cases. The Executive is proclaiming the work on a protocol as a great success, but success will only come when these horrific dawn raids on vulnerable children are stopped and tough measures put in place to protect the rights of children of asylum-seekers.”

Harvie has called for dawn raids to be suspended with immediate effect until a “robust and effective” protocol regarding the removal and detention of children is established to help protect the rights of children of asylum-seeking families. His motion lodged this week has picked up support from the SNP, Labour, Lib Dems, SSP, Independents and fellow Greens. (2)

ENDS

For more information contact the Green MSP press office on 0771 761 8771.

1. The demonstration will start in George Square at 11:30am and will march to St Enoch Square for a rally at noon. Further details are available from Margaret Woods of the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees on 07870 286632.
2. Patrick Harvie motion - S2M-03358 - Immediate Suspension on Dawn Raids
That the Parliament reiterates its serious concern over the unnecessary and inhumane methods used by the UK Government in the removal and detention of children prior to deportation, which cause fear and distress to the children involved; congratulates all campaigners who oppose this disgraceful treatment of children on their work; recognises the First Minister’s commitment to intervene on this matter and his intention to initiate discussions with the Home Office to establish a protocol which will cover all removals of children and young people in Scotland; supports Positive Action In Housing’s call for an immediate suspension on dawn raids carried out by immigration officers on families with children whilst this protocol is established, and calls on the Scottish Executive to support this plea for a moratorium on dawn raids in order to demonstrate its willingness to safeguard the welfare of the children concerned.

For more on last week’s debate, see

www.scottishgreens.org.uk/site/id/4777

www.scottishgreens.org.uk/site/id/4774

Additional information
There are few reliable statistics on the number of children of asylum-seekers in Scotland, but there are over 1400 registered with Scottish schools (source: Pupils in Scotland, 2004. Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin). According to Save the Children, around 2000 children are detained every year in the UK for the purposes of immigration control.

Kathleen Marshall produced a report in December 2004 on children in Dungavel. The concerns she noted include:

- families are detained even though they there is a lack of evidence suggesting they are likely to abscond. In the absence of this evidence, the method of removal from their homes - i.e. dawn raids - is disproportionate and contrary to welfare of children under the UNCRC. Alternatives to detention have not been fully explored - this should change

- children and young people need to made aware of their rights, and their welfare independently assessed

- information and statistics about detention of children should be made available for public scrutiny

- there is no system in place to monitor what happens to children when they removed from this country

For more information see www.irr.org.uk and www.paih.org.uk

NEWS RELEASE - Cathcart by-election

Posted on

CATHCART BY-ELECTION: GREEN VOTE STEADY, YET ALL SUFFER FROM FIRST-PAST-THE-POST SYSTEM

Greens polled around 4% tonight, the same as the recent Westminster election in Glasgow South, with largely the same boundaries to the Cathcart Holyrood constituency. Greens said that in 2007 many more people will vote Green when the election is proportional .

Green Candidate Chloe Stewart said: “In this year’s Westminster election we polled well in Glasgow, even in the unfair first-past-the-post system. From tonight’s steady showing we look forward to 2007 when everyone will know that their vote really counts in a proportional election. I want to thank every green voter today for their support.”

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow said: “I am pleased that our vote in Glasgow has held up, even in the voting system where most of the focus is on the main contenders. The result does give us confidence for 2007 where we are also looking forward to gaining local council seats.”

VIDEO - Questioning the First Minister on the removal of the Vucaj family

Posted on September 29, 2005

The news came through today that the Vucaj family, subjected to a so-called “dawn raid” earlier this month, have been removed from the country. This will increase the pressure on Jack McConnell to demand that the Home Office puts an end to the brutal practices which are becoming commonplace in the asylum system.

I questioned the First Minister in the Chamber today, demanding an immediate end to dawn raids.

Click here to download a clip of First Minister’s Questions (3.5MG)

Click here to read more about the issue

Vote Green - Vote Chloe!

Posted on September 16, 2005

Our candidate for the Cathcart by-election, Chloe Stewart, has set out a challenge to all the other parties to have a public debate about air pollution, climate change and Glasgow’s transport issues. The Glasgow Greens aim to put an end to the personal attacks of the last few days, and debate the issues which affect the people of Glasgow’s Southside.

We are hopeful of taking votes from across the political spectrum - in contrast to the Westminster election a vote for the Libdems is a vote for more of the same from the Scottish Executive. We offer a more serious and constructive approach than the SSP, and many disillusioned Labour and SNP voters also see the value of our progressive message.

Chloe said this week “Many people in Glasgow voted Libdem this year as a protest against New Labour’s record in government at Westminster. In this election however they know that a Libdem MSP will play follow-the-leader inside the coalition, and be no different to a Labour MSP.
“Progressive minded people who may be thinking about an alternative know that the Greens are the right choice. In this year’s Westminster election we polled well in Glasgow, and we were indeed the only small party to grow our vote.”

Chloe expects the controversial M74 extension to become a major issue in the election campaign, alongside local issues such as hospital services and loss of green space and playing fields in the area. A leading JAM74 activist, she is a co-sponsor of the legal action being taken against the Scottish Executive over the M74 controversy. The Labour candidate Charles Gordon is well-known as a prominent supporter of the motorway scheme.

Chloe added: “For 30 years Labour has held power in Glasgow yet it is still the poverty capital of Scotland with huge inequality, poor health and an environment that’s bad and getting worse - their record is damning. The SNP is operating as if we were back in the late seventies banging on about Scotland’s oil as though climate change simply wasn’t happening.
“A Green vote is a vote for positive change, for serious action on public transport improvements, a vote to save Glasgow’s disappearing playing fields, and a vote for the urgent action needed to tackle climate change. The only credible alternative to politics-as-usual is a vote for the Greens. A vote for anyone else is a wasted vote.”

This by-election offers the people of Glasgow the chance to send a powerful message to the stale politics brought to us by the parties of the past. I am delighted that Chloe has been chosen as our candidate. It would be fantastic to have another Green MSP in the chamber for this session as we look forward to growing again come 2007.

Biography: Chloe Stewart is 31, lives in Glasgow and works for the NHS in Glasgow as an information worker. She previously worked for Oxfam, is a member of Campaign Against the Arms Trade and Amnesty International, and has many years experience in campaigning on peace and human rights issues. She is a leading activist with JAM74, the group opposing the building of the controversial M74 Extension in Glasgow, and is a co-sponsor on the legal action taken against the Scottish Executive over the scheme. Born in Essex and mainly brought up in Bristol, Chloe moved to Glasgow in 2001 and has lived in Pollokshields since 2002, has a BA from University of Oxford and an MSc from University of Sheffield. Chloe is an elected office bearer and member of the Scottish Green Party Operations Committee.

Home Office “biometric roadshow” is a farce

Posted on September 13, 2005

GREEN MSP MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release 13th September 2005

HOME OFFICE MINISTERS RUNNING SCARED OF PUBLIC OPINION
- Executive kept in dark over ID card sales roadshow

As news emerged of a UK tour by the Home Office aiming to sell ID cards to the public, Green MSPs said the government’s desperate response to the public backlash about ID Cards was predictable and that the proposed roadshow was a farce. Apparently the Home Office is not publicising the venues for the Roadshow until the morning of each event due to ’security reasons’, but Greens have established that one of the venues is Edinburgh’s Gyle Shopping Centre tomorrow. (Wednesday 14th)

Green MSP and Justice Speaker Patrick Harvie said: “I’m not surprised that New Labour is so desperate to avoid any chance of meeting its critics. Support for biometrics and ID cards is falling rapidly as people find out the cost, the flaws in the scheme, and the risk to civil liberties. The Home Office isn’t going out of its way to draw the public’s attention to the roadshow - publicity is absolutely minimal. It’s almost as if they didn’t want anyone to turn up.

“It seems that even the Scottish Executive is being kept in the dark about the Home Office’s plans - on calling the Executive I was told that they didn’t know where and when the Home Office would be visiting Scotland. They cited security concerns, and said that the Home Office would keep the roadshow locations secret until the morning of each visit.

“The Home Office themselves were more forthcoming, and when I finally got through told me that the roadshow would be at the Gyle Shopping Centre in Edinburgh on Wednesday this week. The Home Secretary recently responded to the charge that ID cards are a step toward a ‘Big Brother’ society by saying that the Big Brother society was already here, and that his job was to control it.

“I think this would horrify most people - the Home Secretary’s job should be to protect the freedoms and liberties to which people in a democracy are entitled, not to become the controller of a surveillance culture which turns us all into suspects. I’d urge everyone who agrees with me, to join the Home Office at the Gyle shopping centre, and tell them so in no uncertain terms.”

For more information go to news.bbc.co.uk

New term begins

Posted on September 6, 2005

Today is the first day of the new term at Holyrood. Now that the summer recess is over, the First Minister has set out his programme of legislation for the coming year.

As the speaker on the Justice and Communities portfolio for the Greens, it looks as though I’m in for another very bust year. Around a third of the programme falls into Justice, and as for Communities we are already working hard in preparation for the Planning Bill, which will set the context for pretty much all development in Scotland for decades to come.

Tomorrow I’ll be raising that bill in the Chamber, asking how the Executive’s proposals will contribute to sustainable developemnt. For today though, we have been debating Justice. Here is the speech I gave in the first day’s debate:

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):

The Minister for Justice described a huge agenda for change—it looks as though the Justice Department is in for another busy year. I am sure that many issues will be raised that well deserve to be on the agenda. In the debate on those issues, a response is demanded to recent high-profile and shocking events, to which Jeremy Purvis and others referred. The First Minister is right to say that we must learn lessons from those events.

However, learning lessons is not the same as allowing our approach to be driven by those cases. Clearly, if someone poses a risk to the public, it might be dangerous to grant them bail. However, bail exists for good reasons and it would equally be wrong to place individuals on remand who do not need to be there simply because of a feeling that something must be done.

I was, therefore, a little disappointed by the First Minister’s response to Mr McLetchie’s question on that issue. I did not hear a robust and solid defence of the place of human rights in our society. We had to wait until Pauline McNeill spoke—and she did so very well—to hear a solid defence of human rights.

Human rights are a basis of a modern democracy. They have repeatedly come under threat, not only from those in the Conservative party who regret the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998, but from the UK Government and other Governments. That is why the move towards a Scottish commission for human rights is so important. It is a move for which we have been waiting for some time. I congratulate the Liberal Democrats on whatever influence they have brought to bear. I welcome the fact that we will see the commission established through this year’s legislative programme—and, incidentally, I think that MSPs need an independent source of advice on the legislation that comes before us.

In his statement, the First Minister implied a moving away from a narrow comparison with England and Wales; he talked about Scotland in relation to the rest of the world. I ask the Deputy Minister for Justice whether, in his closing speech, he can confirm that the Scottish human rights commission will conform to the highest international standards for such organisations, will report to the Parliament rather than to the Executive and will have the power to take cases on behalf of individuals and groups in society. I also ask him to say something about the resources that the commission will have to do its work.

Another important body that the Justice Department will be working on during the coming year is the police complaints commission. That commission was promised in the partnership agreement; again, I congratulate the Liberal Democrats on whatever influence they have brought to bear. I hope that the commission will be all that it can be. Recent events in London have shown the pressing demand for truly independent scrutiny of complaints about the police. The commitment in the partnership agreement to create an independent police complaints commission appears to be a little stronger than what we heard from the First Minister, who spoke about introducing an “element” of independence into the police complaints system. I would be grateful for an explanation of the difference between the forms of words used.

Jeremy Purvis:

Is the member aware that a crucial difference between Scotland and south of the border—I am thinking about the London case—is that, if there are allegations of criminality, we in Scotland already have the Procurator Fiscal Service to investigate cases? That service is independent of the police. The issue is about getting the right solution not only to secure independence, but to fit the Scottish system.

Patrick Harvie:

The perception of independence is especially important. People who make complaints—in particular to do with difficult and high-profile issues that may come up, although we hope that they will not—have to have faith that the system dealing with the complaint is entirely independent not only of the police, but of political interference. I look forward to our attempts to debate these issues in more detail.

There are other issues on the justice agenda that I welcome but do not have time to go into. I am pleased that the First Minister confirmed that street prostitution will be addressed. The issue is by no means an easy one. In my party—and I suspect in most parties—a range of views is held. We will engage in that debate seriously, rather than, as Mr MacAskill did, making offhand comments about Soho—an area of London that I particularly enjoy, I have to admit.

I am sure that we will welcome the work on knife crime. I am also pleased that the issue of hate crime has been mentioned — I am sure that progress will be made on that. I congratulate the First Minister on his continued commitment to tackle the issue of sectarian marches. I am sure that he will have our support and the support of communities throughout Scotland for that.

NEWS RELEASE - Inhumane treatment of asylum seekers’ children

Posted on September 1, 2005

DAWN RAIDS: MSPs URGED TO CONDEMN “INHUMANE” METHODS
Greens back Commissioner’s call for greater protection of children’s rights

MSPs were today urged to support calls for greater protection for children facing removal and detention at the hands of the Home Office, as Greens condemned the mistreatment of vulnerable families. (1)

Green MSP Patrick Harvie has called on Parliament to support Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner Kathleen Marshall who this morning attacked the practice of dawn raids on families by police officers in body armour and other methods as “inhumane”. There is increasing concern that children are facing intimidating and inappropriate treatment that violate their rights.

Patrick Harvie MSP said, “The fact that the UK government’s treatment of asylum seekers is degrading and inhumane comes as no surprise - but the strong words used by the Children’s Commissioner today indicate that concerns about the welfare of these vulnerable children are growing. For years we have seen Labour ministers pandering to prejudice and bigotry when they should be making the case for an asylum policy based on compassion and support.

“What we are concerned about now is the prospect that when the new legislation under Section 9 comes into force throughout the country the harm done to children will be even greater. These are among the most vulnerable children in the country, and our state has a duty of care toward them.

“These children and their families should be able to feel safe in this country. Instead they live in destitution, with the fear of the dawn raid, the squad of immigration officers, and deportation to a far off country of which many have no knowledge and where many face an uncertain fate. The Labour party should be utterly ashamed.”

ENDS

Notes

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4203670.stm

Motion lodged in Parliament:

S2M-03221 - Removal of Asylum Seekers’ Children
That the Parliament congratulates the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland, Professor Kathleen Marshall, for raising the issue of the inhumane methods used by the UK Government in the removal and detention of children prior to deportation; endorses Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which states that governments should protect children from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse; considers that the early morning raids being carried out on vulnerable families by officers in body armour violate this article as well as the spirit of the UNCRC; agrees with Professor Marshall that this treatment amounts to terrorising families; is concerned that Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 will worsen this situation and lead to many more families being subjected to this inhumane treatment, and calls on the UK Government to repeal this legislation and to ensure that all asylum and immigration policy is consistent with the UNCRC.