Suzanne Fletcher's Blog

How rules are made and applied depends on who you are.  I am angry.

In February an Asylum seeker friend was preparing for a judicial review and an appeal to stay in this Country because it was dangerous to go back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.  He was getting evidence together.  An appeal was being made about a test case as to whether the DRC was a safe place to be returned to, and people were not supposed to be being returned there till that test case was determined.  He was deported without waiting for the result of either.

A local builder is building some houses not in accordance with the plans he had submitted.  The changes are too numerous to list and hedges that are supposed to be being kept intact have either disappeared or are dying.  He was told to stop the building works in May last year, but has continued to do so.  It has taken months for new plans reflecting what has actually happened to be submitted.  It was down for today's planning committee with a recommendation for refusal.

Yesterday I heard that the appeal about anyone being returned to DRC had been won, and until conditions improve no-one else will be forcibly returned there.  Great news for those still here living in fear - but too late for our friend deported before the result came though.

Today the planning committee had to defer making a decision as some paperwork has not been submitted, so the situation goes on even longer.  If the committee had decided to refuse the application, he could still, within the law carry on building for up to 6 months and then put an appeal in.  Then carry on till the appeal was determined - many months later.

So it is one law for one and a different one for another.  Justice - Huh!