Dear Supporter
Our petition continues to gain national media coverage and pressure is mounting on the government and those complicit in deportations, including airlines from Eindrush justice campaigners, LGBT rights groups,with challenging British Airways sponsorship of Prides whilst helping to deport people and migrant rights groups.
Yesterday I spoke at a National Political & Legal Windrush strategy conference organised by BME Lawyers 4 Justice, a coalition of race equality organisations which my organisation, BARAC UK, is a founding member of.
It was live streamed & you can watch footage here; https://m.facebook.com/pg/Medianetlive/posts/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0
At the conference there were numerous accounts of the devastation & trauma, caused to those impacted by the government's hostile environment. For example people who have lived in the UK for 50 years being asked to provide evidenve for every year and being denied access to the NHS for 4 years.
During the course of this week I was contacted by a young woman deported to Jamaica who has been made homeless & who was in desperate need of shelter & food as I tried to connect her with charities in Jamaica who could help her. The reason she came to the UK was to live with her next of kin, her grandmother, a British citizen.
Many charities helping deportees are lacking in funds & operate on a shoe string budget. Yet there is evidence that for each person deported, the country they are deported to receives a substantial sum of money.
Whilst at the conference, leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, sent me the message of solidarity below to share with the conference;
"Greetings to Windrush Conference.
My respect to the generation that brought so much to all our lives in Education Health Science and culture. And suffered so much racism and brutality for so long.
The cynical creation of a hostile environment by the Home Office under Teresa May will not be forgotten. Diane Abbott on our behalf challenged this at the time.
The belated apology was only a result of the campaign by the community.
However for many justice still needs to be done and the stress of so many is terrible.
My solidarity with you all!
Jeremy Corbyn
Here is some news coverage;
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/pride-sponsor-ba-urged-to-stop-helping-deport-lgbt-people
https://inews.co.uk/news/british-airways-pride/
During Brighton & Hove pride LGBT campaigners occupied British Airways i360, a huge observation tower and tourist attraction on Brighton seafront, halting its use.
Thank you for your ongoing support in signing & building this petition.
Best Regards
Zita
Zita Holbourne; National Chair, BARAC UK