Home Secretary found something better to do.
Former Home Secretary Michael Howard expressed disappointment that Dr Reid felt unable to appear on the programme, and passed him an invitation from Comic Relief to 'Run a Mile' for charity.
Writing to Dr Reid, Mr Howard said:
"In your 2001 election manifesto, you promised that ‘asylum seekers and their dependents whose claims have been rejected will be removed from Britain with the aim of more than 30,000 in 2003-4’ (page 34); in fact, in 2003-4 you removed only 13,005.
"When I was Home Secretary, as your official Dave Roberts yesterday told the Home Affairs select committee, illegal immigrants could expect a knock at the door from the police and under this government, that has been abandoned."
Labour has presided in a collapse in confidence in the asylum and immigration, after the Government admitted routinely releasing foreign criminals from prison without considering them for deportation.
Read Michael Howard's letter in full:
The Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP
Home Secretary
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
17 May 2006
Our Ref: MH/JD
Dear John,
I was disappointed to learn that you have decided to pull out of this week’s BBC Question Time; I was looking forward to your explanation of the Government’s failure to regain control of asylum and immigration.
In your 2001 election manifesto, you promised that ‘asylum seekers and their dependents whose claims have been rejected will be removed from Britain with the aim of more than 30,000 in 2003-4’ (page 34); in fact, in 2003-4 you removed only 13,005.
When I was Home Secretary, as your official Dave Roberts yesterday told the Home Affairs select committee, illegal immigrants could expect a knock at the door from the police and under this government, that has been abandoned.
No doubt the audience would have been interested to hear your explanation, and will be disappointed by your last-minute decision to pull out of the programme.
On 7th June Comic Relief is holding a sponsored run and I enclose their invitation. Since I am unable to accept, and since you have been getting in plenty of practice, I wondered if you would be prepared to take up their challenge to ‘run a mile’.
Yours ever,
Michael
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