Jenny Willott, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, has today welcomed the news that no children of failed asylum seekers will be imprisoned this Christmas.
Lib Dem Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP has announced the immediate closure of the Yarl’s Wood Child Detention Centre, with moves underway to close all family detention centres which are used to lock up children of failed asylum seekers.
The move fulfils a key Liberal Democrat manifesto promise to put an end to the shameful policy which saw an average of seven innocent children a day detained during Labour’s last term in office.
Commenting Jenny Willott said:
“I am very pleased that one of the most shameful and disgraceful policies of the Labour Government is finally being put to an end.
“Imprisoning thousands of innocent children, some of whom have already suffered incredible hardship in their lives, is simply indefensible. Too many children have already been left with the mental scars of imprisonment.
“This is something that would not have happened without the Lib Dems in Government and I hope will go some way to restoring the UK’s moral authority around the world, which was tarnished by the last Labour Government.
