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07:00 - 16-May-2008
As part of his draft legislative programme, Mr Brown unveiled plans for an Immigration Bill that will amend existing legislation that only grants British citizenship to people born to a British father, but not people born to a British mother before 1961.
Last night, shadow home secretary and MP for Haltemprice and Howden David Davis welcomed the proposals, which he claims will be the last chapter in the Deborah Phillips saga.
He told the Mail: “This will be the last chapter in a long and hard fought battle that has not only brought justice to the family of Debra Phillips, but other families in their situation.”
A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed last night the new Immigration Bill would consolidate all existing immigration legislation and would close the loophole in the law that prevents Deborah from being granted permanent leave to remain.
The Bill will also require all newcomers to show they are making an economic contribution to the UK and speak English, while airport security will also be strengthened.
Immigration minister Liam Byrne pledged to remedy the law that discriminates against Deborah and Alexandra at the “earliest opportunity” when he went head-to-head in an adjournment debate with Mr Davis last month.
Mr Byrne also promised to use his ministerial discretion to allow Deborah and her seven-year-old daughter to stay in the country for the next year while the law is changed.
The minister said at the time: “The Government does accept those born to British mothers before1961 are today at an disadvantage. So I am able to confirm, at an early stage, we will seek to bring forward a legislative remedy to that perhaps in the immigration reform bill.”
A fortnight ago Mr Byrne wrote to Deborah confirming her right to stay in the UK while the law is changed.
Mr Byrne wrote in his letter: “I indicated in the debate that given the particular factors in her case, I felt a grant of 12 months to be appropriate exceptionally outside the immigration rules.”
The Home Office had been threatening to deport Deborah and Alexandra last month.
But Mr Davis won the dramatic U-turn from the minister after he argued the 48-year-old and her daughter should be given permission to stay and look after her 80-year-old mother Betty in Cottingham.
In a victory for the Mail's Let Deborah Stay campaign, Mr Byrne decided they could remain as he promised to close the loophole in the law that prevents Deborah Phillips from becoming a British citizen.
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