Edinburgh MP asks PM for help for Syrian boy

March 28, 2018 12:10 pm

Last week we told you the great news about Canal View who have won the class trip of a lifetime to Majorca with Jet2 Holidays.

One of the pupils in the class at Canal View is a Syrian refugee who has been told by the Home Office that it will take three months for him to get travel documents and therefore will be unable to go on the trip.

Obviously, this is totally devastating for the school, the class and the young boy and his MP Joanna Cherry asked the Prime Minister for help at PMQs today.

She said : Children at Wester Hailes Canal View Primary School have just won the ultimate school trip with the prize of a holiday to Majorca next month. There is just one problem. One of their classmates is a Syrian refugee and he has been told by the Home Office he can’t travel with his friends as he doesn’t have the proper documents. The Home Office say it will take three months for these documents to come through. Will the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary help me to cut through the red tape so this wee boy can go with his friends to enjoy the holiday of a lifetime?”

You can watch here.

The Prime Minister congratulated the school for winning the competition and confirmed that the Home Secretary would look into the case.

Joanna Cherry QC MP commented: “It is unacceptable that this young Syrian schoolboy will find himself excluded from joining his classmates on a dream holiday because of Home Office procedures. The Prime Minister must immediately step in and right this grievous wrong.

“I was contacted by Canal View’s Head Teacher Ann Moore yesterday asking if there was anything which I could do to help. The school and the class are obviously devastated that Mohammed has been told he can’t join them on this holiday of a lifetime.

“It is terrible to think of the hardship this wee boy has overcome to get to Edinburgh and start a new life in safety. Today I have asked the Prime Minister and Home Secretary to intervene and make sure Mohammed can join his class mates.

“I’m delighted that the Prime Minister has indicated that the Home Secretary will look into this case and I shall make sure she does so urgently.”