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Tony Blair (Hansard vol 213, col 43, 2 November 1992)

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When a right of appeal is removed, what is removed is a valuable and necessary constraint on those who exercise original jurisdiction. That is true not merely of immigration officers but of anybody. The immigration officer who knows that his decision may be subject to appeal is likely to be a good deal more circumspect, careful and even handed that the officer who knows that his power of decision is absolute. That is simply, I fear, a matter of human nature, quite apart from anything else.

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Colin Yeo

Colin Yeo

Immigration and asylum barrister, blogger, writer and consultant at Garden Court Chambers in London and founder of the Free Movement immigration law website.

Comments

5 Responses

  1. “circumspect, careful and even handed …”. Even with proper rights of appeal, I’m not sure this accurately describes HO decision-making to date.

  2. Thank heavens the Immigration Bill does not yet include; ‘those unwilling to leave voluntarily or those attempting to evade measures of forced removal will be offered two humane options of either the gas chambers or the gulags. They will be legally bound to choose one at least.

  3. Tony Bliar is an employment lawyer who has represented real people. The current front bench is made up of former speech writers, sales men, historians? and career politicians mostly with old money bereft of life experience. My suggestions to them is simple, lets build a 70ft wall around these Islands, arm some minions of the right and give them the power of life and death. Then abolish UKBA, give Immigration Officers at Port an AK 47, and send all immigration lawyers to Garden Court to shred files for no fees.