An 18 year old is in Yarls Wood Detention Centre

Following the policy motion on 'Making Migration Work for Britain' at the Lib Dem Spring conference in York and the passionate speeches given on how asylum seekers are treated, another case of a cruel detention has come to light. This time it is an 18 year old called Yashika Bageerathi who came to the UK in 2012 to escape abuse in Mauritius.

 There is a possibility that she could be deported back to Mauritus because she is now 18. If deported, she will be separated from her family who are allowed to live in the UK. How is it that the system allows a minor to live in this country as an asylum seeker then attempts to throw them out when they reach 18. There is a petition to keep Yashika in the country which i urge you to sign.

A recent report  called 'Detained' shows the horrifying conditions that women in detention centers face. Detention centres are a dark corner of Britain where human rights seem to have taken flight. I gave a speech on this at the conference and said,
 "‘ Can we please ask for an asylum process that recognises the suffering the woman has already been through and which factors that into their treatment in the UK?  A liberal and fair process is what I call for."