Theresa May Condemns Majid Ali and Defies Scotland 141


Despite numerous representations and an Early Day Motion signed by the large majority of Scotland’s MPs, Theresa May has ordered that Majid Ali, a Glasgow City College student, be deported back to almost certain torture and probable death in Pakistan in just twenty minutes from now. I attended the demonstration on his behalf yesterday at the Scottish Office.

Majid is a member of the much persecuted Baloch minority. Two of his immediate family have been “disappeared” by the Pakistani military since his asylum application was submitted. There is no doubt that given the numerous MP’s who have raised his case, and the well-supported early day motion, civil servants will have put the decision to May personally. She was however not even prepared to grant a delay for a look at the evidence. May is very likely not merely pandering to the racist UKIP voting electorate – she is on the far right of politics herself. The callous sacrifice of Majid Ali is proof, if any more were needed, that this Conservative administration is nothing to do with Cameron’s purported “compassionate conservatism.” They are the nasty party indeed.

But it also gives a stark example of the meaningless nature of the “enhanced devolution” in the new Scotland Act. Majid Ali’s community and Scotland’s elected representatives all want to keep him here, as an asset to his community and to our country. But even once the new Scotland Act is passed, it still would be Theresa May and the London Home Office who are the arbiters in all immigration and nationality matters.

For me, independence is the answer, and the only way Scotland will be able to operate as an ethical state. But for those Scots gradualists who actually believe in this devolution distraction, the absence of any input in immigration matters is a crucial example of how inadequate the proposed “new powers” are.

The majority of all extant UK statute laws apply equally in England and Scotland, but in Scotland are enforced by different administrative and judicial processes. While the UK is unfortunately a single state, it will have the same laws and regulations on immigration applying throughout. But there is no reason whatsoever that, as with so many other areas of law, the administration, judicial function and discretionary powers under the laws should not be devolved from London to Scotland as regards persons in Scotland.

That this is not so much as on the table shows how sham are the proposed “extra powers”. And that Majid Ali is being deported by Theresa May against universal Scottish opinion, shows the contempt which this Tory government intends to display against Scotland.

Assuming the deportation go ahead, the next useful step is to put pressure on Theresa May through letters to MPs to account for what happens to him after his return. There is a chance that forcing the British Government to make enquiries of the Pakistani Government about him may just keep him alive.


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141 thoughts on “Theresa May Condemns Majid Ali and Defies Scotland

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  • Mary

    Sorry John that I repeated your link to the EDMs that Ruth Cadbury has signed. I see you had already posted it in the previous topic’s comments.

  • Phil

    Craig

    I am genuinely not sure if you are lying for political gain or really are a bit fucking stupid. I know you are well educated but hey that could be said you are well indoctrinated.

    This bollox, he’s evil, I am good, shows a singular lack of understanding of the human condition. I’m almost embarrassed for you. It’s the thinking of empire of course.

  • Mary

    The Citizen’s Advice Bureau has a good website that is easy to use and which helps people understand their rights and entitlements.

    http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk

    Also free.

    Examples of advice sought

    Ending a marriage
    7,511 unique visits

    Employment and Support Allowance
    7,201 unique visits

    Benefits for families and children
    4,228 unique visits

    Dealing with the financial affairs of someone who has died
    3,977 unique visits

    Council tax
    3,574 unique visits

    Neighbour disputes
    3,527 unique visits

    Police powers
    3,246 unique visits

    Help for people on a low income
    2,438 unique visits

    Managing affairs for someone else
    2,302 unique visits

    Traffic accidents
    1,663 unique visits

    etc etc

  • Mick

    The answer to ‘Belfast’s problems’ is certainly not unification with the south. For one thing a majority of the population in the North do not wish to see that occur, not like you Craig to wilfully ignore the democratic majority. Secondly, the austerity measures in the RoI are even more severe than those in the UK therefore the Dublin government would be even less likely to bail out the Stormont Executive. Back to the drawing board for a solution to ‘Belfast’s problems’.

  • nevermind

    Great letter in the Independent today Phil, just alluding to the dead on the seabed.

    ‘One wonders just what would the British reaction be to an Italian warship laden with hundreds of immigrants, all without papers and most in need of medical attention, landing in Dover. Alternatively, what would happen if the Italian authorities refused HMS Bulwark to dock and discharge hundreds of illegal immigrants.’
    from Laurence Shields, Chesterfield

    And this today from Norwich, a man in his thirties, very possibly ex forces, was found dead in St. Stephens underpass. Another victim of the nasty party policies.

    http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/rough_sleeper_dies_in_norwich_underpass_this_morning_1_4106082

  • craig Post author

    I find risible all those British patriots of the so-called left who think that it is wrong to search for a solution to problems outside the British state. What is so good about the UK that you are so attached to it?

  • Clark

    Phil, I see that you’re opposed to the existence of borders. However, you’ve used a slogan “Radical Decentralisation Now!”. Well decentralisation implies the existence of some kind of boundaries.

    I don’t think you really have an ethical disagreement with Craig. You’re both aiming for similar outcomes, but you’re disagreeing with Craig’s methods for getting there. Maybe some terms need to be defined and/or clarified.

  • Phil

    Craig
    “all those British patriots”

    OK there’s the answer to my question: you are lying for political gain.

    You know full well I am no patriot. You intentionally malign rather than defend your position.

    You are toying with the deaths of the poor for political expediency. You disgusting prick.

  • Phil

    Clark
    “I don’t think you really have an ethical disagreement with Craig.”

    Sorry Clark. I very much do.

  • Phil

    Nevermind

    I am not defending UK or any immigration policy. I am really at a loss to what I ever said to make you think I am.

  • Mary

    Nevermind. Agree. No irony that as liberty and freedoms are taken away from us, there are celebrations for the signing of the Magna Carta. The shops are full of commemorative junk.

    Mitie have the contract for the Campsfield horror hole
    https://closecampsfield.wordpress.com/what-is-campsfield-and-why-close-it/

    Serco the one for Yarl’s Wood
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarl's_Wood_Immigration_Removal_Centre

    and GEO the one for the Harmondsworth Removal Centre. Not furniture removal but human beings.
    http://detentionaction.org.uk/aboutus/about-harmondsworth-detention-centre

    Shame on our government and Mrs May and her cohort esp the fresh faced and keen head boy, Mr Brokenshire who is rather well named.

    Our ministers

    The Rt Hon Theresa May MP
    Secretary of State for the Home Department

    The Rt Hon Mike Penning MP
    Minister of State (Minister for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice and Victims)

    The Rt Hon John Hayes MP
    Minister of State (Minister for Security)

    James Brokenshire MP
    Minister of State (Minister for Immigration)

    The Rt Hon Lord Bates
    Minister of State

    Karen Bradley MP
    Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Preventing Abuse and Exploitation)

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
    Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Countering Extremism)

    Biographies on https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office

  • Clark

    Phil, OK, what is the disagreement then? Craig’s “British patriots” remark obviously wasn’t addressed to you specifically so responding to it personally will just result in a confusing diversion.

  • nevermind

    I was never deluding that you did Phil, just agreeing with you that Schengen was a waste of time.
    Hungary is closing its borders with Serbia to stop the influx of Immigration, the great wall building has began.

    I’d really like there to be an Italian warship docking here, testing the testies in power and what they really think of reforming the EU.

  • Phil

    Clark
    “OK, what is the disagreement then?”

    What? I have made my case repeatedly over these last two threads.

  • Phil

    Nevermind

    I have been trying to say something more than just question Schengen. I am pointing out that Craigs politics are little different to those he claims he now despises.

  • Phil

    Shit. Ignore the above comment. It was fired off without thought and I don’t actually mean that in a way that can be defended in my lunchtime. It will only detract from my immeiate points on these threads. I retract it.

  • Phil

    Clark
    “Craig’s “British patriots” remark obviously wasn’t addressed to you”

    Not obvious at all. So what, he was responding to some unidentifiable, not present people rather than dropping in a misrepresentation of someone actually challenging him here and now? Yeah right. If the mail adopted such tactics you would call them out.

    Even if that were the case he’s still pursuing this you bad, me good nonsense.

  • doug scorgie

    Craig
    10 Jun, 2015 – 11:49 am

    “Giyane: The Baloch are not Shia. You do write rather a lot of peculiar stuff sometimes.”
    ……………………………………………………………………

    Yes Craig, he talks a load of Balochs at times.

  • doug scorgie

    Craig, you stated on the previous thread that only 50 MPs can sign an Early Day Motion.

    Is that the really case?

    Shortly after the 2005 general election, 412 of the 646 MPs signed EDM 178 calling for a Climate Change Bill; only three other early day motions had ever been signed by more than 400 MPs.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_day_motion

  • lysias

    Signatories to EDM now up to 59, including 48 SNP MPs, 4 Labour, 2 Lib Dems (including Alistair Carmichael), 2 Plaid Cymru, 1 Green, and 2 SDLP.

  • lysias

    None of us should be held responsible for the people of England, where an absolute majority of those voting supported either Tory or UKIP. If you choose to live there, don’t expect non-residents to solve your problems.

    Should the North of England be included in that statement?

  • Ba'al Zevul

    This on EDM’s from parliament.uk –

    Signatures

    In an average session only six or seven EDMs reach over two hundred signatures. Around seventy or eighty get over one hundred signatures. The majority will attract only one or two signatures.

    Doesn’t look as if there’s a fifty limit at all…I withdraw my apology and revive my imputation….

    What Phil is saying, if I read him right, is that you are using this specific issue as a platform for promoting Scottish independence. IOW preaching from the victim’s (acknowledged) moral high ground. I’m trying not to see his point, and failing. At best, if so, it’s in bad taste. I’m also getting a dogwhistle concatenation of Balochi and Scottish independence aspirations: I don’t think you can validly use the one to argue for the other, even obliquely. (Suhayl Saadi made a good case for not backing Balochi independence, and the West’s record of assisting liberation movements, even with something like good intentions, is a disastrous one.)

  • John Goss

    Monteverdi at 3.13 pm, I’ve just read that harrowing account by Clive Stafford-Smith, director of Reprieve, of how an innocent man is hanged and a guilty man goes free. Pakistan is the pits. Its judicial system needs a thorough overall.

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