Go back to Zimbabwe! Says Labour Minister

9.09.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 12th Aug 2006

Zimbabwe flag

Liam Byrne, Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Home Office Minister has announced that the UK Government will start to send asylum seekers back to Zimbabwe. Deportations to Zimbabwe have not been allowed since last October's court ruling.

Perhaps Mr Byrne should visit Zimbabwe and when he comes back tell us what has changed that would allow this. I can tell him nothing, if anything the situation has got worse, many Zimbabweans live in fear of their lives and virtually all Zimbabweans that claim asylum in the UK would be persecuted, tortured or killed if they were sent back.

Will Howells has emailed me to say that the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal ruled last week that Zimbabwe is now considered "safe". I can see no logic in this ruling, if anyone can explain please get in touch.