Amber Rudd Is a liar -

[jamesbrown]

Strong / stable.

[Delete as appropriate.]

[SueEllen]

Strong / stable.

[Delete as appropriate.]

But there is nothing left...

[scooterscot]

As one of the Windrush victims said: Amber Rudd is the bricklayer but Theresa May is the architect.

[original PM]

Oh those pesky facts.

[Bean]

Oh those pesky facts.

"The number of people for whom a landing card would materially alter their status now is very low – but not zero."

Storm in a teacup then?

[northernladyuk]

Oh those pesky facts.

So to summarise, the British government is to blame for destroying the landing cards, with responsibility falling on all governing parties (arguably more responsibility on the Labour side):

Both Labour and the Conservatives have accused each other of being responsible for the destruction of Windrush landing cards. The decision to dispose of them was taken in 2009 under Labour (although the then-Home Secretary says he didn’t sign it off). The actual destruction of the documents took place under the Conservatives, when Theresa May was Home Secretary.

The documents were destroyed as part of the UK Border Agency’s legal obligations under the the Data Protection Act. At the time, the Border Agency didn’t consider the documents to be of sufficient value to keep hold of.

But the destruction only became significant due to the Tory / Lib Dem hostile environment.

Only later – in 2013 – was the “hostile environment” policy introduced by the Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition. Additional changes in 2012 added to the pressure on migrants in the UK.

Had they not been destroyed, the landing cards could now be used alongside other documents to help someone threatened with deportation to build their case for staying. It gets trickier when we talk about people who have no other record of their time in the UK.

The number of people for whom a landing card would materially alter their status now is very low – but not zero.

Nevertheless, it seems likely that the destruction of the landing cards would not be a significant problem for the Windrush generation if the “hostile environment” policy hadn’t been introduced.

[WTFH]

Oh those pesky facts.

So the landing cards aren't the issue, but then what is the best way to keep blaming Labour for it?
How can the current government's "hostile environment policy" - the decision to deport people - be blamed on someone other than Teflon Theresa?

[original PM]

I think the point is everyone is running around trying to blame everyone else.

The reality is it seems

1) The deletion/destruction of these papers was initially taken to comply with the DPA.
2) These papers would have had very little impact - although not non zero.
3) Due to the fact it is going to affect some people who have a legitimate right to stay in the UK everyone is running around trying to blame everyone else.

Why not put the effort into solving the problem rather than pointing the finger?

[WTFH]

I think the point is everyone is running around trying to blame everyone else.

The reality is it seems

1) The deletion/destruction of these papers was initially taken to comply with the DPA.
2) These papers would have had very little impact - although not non zero.
3) Due to the fact it is going to affect some people who have a legitimate right to stay in the UK everyone is running around trying to blame everyone else.

Why not put the effort into solving the problem rather than pointing the finger?

The problem being Theresa May's hostile environment policy and her government's desire to deport people.

[original PM]

The problem being Theresa May's hostile environment policy and her government's desire to deport people.

Which is kind of inline with the what a lot of citizens of this country asked for?

A better immigration policy which ensures we get the right kind of people coming into the country?

Limited barriers to deporting people who are here illegally?

Not so much 'hostile' as 'common sense'.