Archive for October 9th, 2007

Iraqi interpreters offered non-existent escape route

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

The lifeline offered by Gordon Brown to a few of the interpreters who’ve risked their lives assisting the British forces in Iraq is being dissected across the blogosphere - the marvellous Dan Hardie for starters.

So there’s only one thing for me to add.

David Miliband’s statement assures us that on top of the new procedure:

Alternatively, these staff will be able to apply for exceptional leave to enter the UK

I’m just wondering how given that they abolished “exceptional leave to enter or remain” back in April 2003. The guidance says, and it seems fairly unequivocal to me:

As of today exceptional leave has ceased to exist.

I expect it’s pretty cold comfort for the interpreters that there used to be a category of leave they could have applied for, we just abolished it before we invaded Iraq and asked them for help. Friendly of us, don’t you think?

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