Dear Supporter
Thank you for your actions so far opposing the mass deportation charter flight to Jamaica next week.
Shockingly we have become aware of people who have no previous criminal convictions being booked onto this flight which is a departure from recent strategy by the government.
Of those we are aware of in this category; campaigning, legal action and the intervention of MP to two of those impacted, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, have led to them being removed from the flight.
Earlier this week the Prime Minister of Jamaica spoke at COP26 and we asked him how he felt able to justify the operation of a large, long haul plane for just a small handful of people, contributing to carbon emissions, impacting disproportionately on the Global South. Whilst the government seek to book around 50 people on each flight , the last flight left with just 7 onboard due to successful legal challenges.
Amongst those issued with a removal notice are people who came to the UK as children, as young as 3 months old on arrival, people with learning difficulties and disabilities, people who grew up in care in the UK and the majority are parents of British children. Some of them are victims of the Modern Day Slavery Act, groomed by gangs.
At the core of this is the human cost to those booked on the plane and their loved ones left behind, including their young children , suddenly and brutally torn apart from a parent , but there is also the financial cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds it costs per flight and the cost to our planet in contributing to climate change.
We have had International press coverage including the following;
http://radiojamaicanewsonline.com/local/uk-plans-to-deport-more-jamaicans
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/jamaican-pm-urged-to-block-deportation-flight-from-britain
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2021/11/05/669956/UK-deportation-flights
We are calling on you to take action to keep up the pressure on the UK government, the Jamaica government and those complicit in deportations.
1. Contact your local MP. If you don't know who they are, check here; https://www.theyworkforyou.com/
You can adapt our template letter here;
2. Tweet the PM of Jamaica and call on him to #stoptheplane and stop contributing to the #climatecrisis. @andrewholnessjm
3. Tweet your MP and ask them to take action to save the #jamaica50 and #stoptheplane
4. Share this petition update with your networks and on your social media platforms
5. We do not know which airline is operating this flight yet but you can call on those we know are responsible for most of the mass deportation flights recently to not operate this flight.
Suggested tweet:
Dear [Insert / tag airline] please do not help the UK government to deport the #jamaica50 deportation flight on 10th Nov #stoptheplane
The airlines are:
TUI who are responsible for the majority of flights this year, 21 today. Please also use the hashtag #stoptui.
@TUIUK on Twitter
Privilege Style @privilege757 on Twitter
Titan Airways @titanairways on Twitter
Wamos Air @wamosair on Twitter
6. Follow us on twitter @BARACUK and Instagram @BARACUKoriginal for updates and to repost / share.
7. Tweet @ukhomeoffice @pritipatel and call on them to #stoptheplane of #Jamaica50 for #climatejustice compensate for the #WindrushScandal , implement #LessonsLearned
You can also use Instagram and Facebook to do some of the above actions.
Please use the hashtags: #Jamaica50 #stoptheplane #climatejustice #COP26 #stopTUI
Thanks for your support.
Regards
Zita
Zita Holbourne
National Chair BARAC UK
Black and Asian Lawyers for Justice