Hope for Weymouth's Kachepa family (South Dorset Liberal Democrats)

South Dorset Liberal Democrats <info@southdorsetlibdems.org.uk>

Hope for Weymouth's Kachepa family

July 19, 2005 5:24 PM

"Verah Kachepa and her family from Weymouth will be able to stay." says Graham Oakes.

"All the signs are very positive for this popular local family."

"During the General Election Jim Knight made great play of the advantages of having a Labour M.P. in South Dorset and a Labour government. He managed to get the family's deportation delayed until after the General Election. As the local M.P. and as a Junior Government Minister he has almost certainly been told of the Home Office's decision whether to let them stay or not."

" If the decision is to deport them and he already knows that, then to raise their hopes by meeting a Home Office Minister would be cruel."

"I can therefore only assume, and hope, they let them stay."

Graham Oakes also commented that the Kachepa family should be grateful to Ed Matts. "Ed,s fake photos made this a national case and certainly made it easier for Jim Knight to get their deportation delayed."

Graham admitted he made a political error regarding this issue during the General Election "I decided to try to keep party politics out of this. I wrote to the Home Office and marched alongside the family in Weymouth. However on reflection I could have persuaded all of the 9 candidates to sign a statement of support for the family, rising above party politics, behaving as someone who would make a good M.P. for South Dorset. "