Government u-turn on private firm deportations

The chair of the Commons home affairs select committee, Keith Vaz has reported that he has ‘huge concerns’ over the government’s indecision to implement firm policy guidelines to stop private firms using 'forceful' restraint against deportees.

The Home Office had apparently banned private security firms from forcibly putting detainees onto commercial flights and then lifted the ban 10 days later.

Vaz has accused the government of "flip-flopping".  And Shadow Home Secretary, Ed Balls, has also said it is vital for the Home Office to release details of the circumstances surrounding the death ofAngolan refugee Jimmy Mubenga, who collapsed and died on a British Airways plane after a forceful deportation attempt earlier this month.

Vaz said: "It is essential that we have a clear and consistent policy regarding the force that can be used during deportations," he said. "This is particularly true given the number of agencies involved in the process. I am hugely concerned that following the tragic case of Jimmy Mubenga, the Home Office seems to be flip-flopping over its decision."

The security firm ban was introduced mid October, three days after Mubenga died, with the government u-turn coming shortly after.

Since Mubenga’s death two more incidents of G4S ‘airplane force’ were reported by deportees who say they were seriously manhandled during deportation. One a Columbian and and another a Kenyan refugee

Three men have been arrested by police in connection with the death of Jimmy Mubenga.

The National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns have organised a march from the Angolan Embassy  on Friday 12 November 2010.