MP fights to save Highland mum-of-two from deportation

Gloria Macleod with her daughters. Picture: Iain Ferguson/Contributed

Highland MP Ian Blackford is in urgent talks with the Home Office after being informed that a Gloria Macleod is to be deported on Saturday.

Indian passport holder Gloria, whose husband Robert, a former soldier born and raised in Dingwall, but who currently works in Dubai, was refused entry into the country at Inverness Airport of 26 September.

This was despite holding a UK C–Visit passport issued by the British Consulate in Abu Dhabi in December 2009, which is valid for 10 years.

Gloria Macleod with her husband, Robert. Picture: Iain Ferguson/Contributed

The couple were married on Boxing Day in 2003 and their children, Siobhan, born in August 2005 and Meaghan, born in July 2006, are British citizens.

In July, the family returned to Dingwall and the girls were enrolled in the local primary school so they could receive an education in Scotland.

To ensure that they could be looked after in the UK by their mother, the couple made an application to enable her to remain in the country while their father continued to work in Dubai to support the family.

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Mrs Macleod was advised by the Visa Office, acting on behalf of the UK Immigration Service, that this application had to be lodged in person, in Dubai, after which she would be able to return to the UK.

On her return after lodging the appropriate application as advised, she was refused entry and despite having a pending application for an Entry Clearance to care for her children and holding a valid Visa.

She was finally allowed in on Temporary Admission, on condition that she will be deported to Dubai on October 1st.

He is in urgent talks with the Home Office after being informed that a constituent is to be deported on Saturday, 1st October, leaving her two daughters in the care of elderly Grandparents.

Ian Blackford has taken up her case with the Home Office, asking that this removal order be suspended until he and the family received a full explanation as to why this had happened.

He said: “Mrs Macleod followed exactly the instructions given to her by the Immigration Service and is now being penalised for this. Her Visa is still current and has not been violated in any way.

“I have yet to fathom any reason why these actions have been taken.

“The family clearly want to live in Mr Macleod’s home town and he intends to return at every opportunity to be with his wife and daughters. He has a good job in Dubai and it is quite understandable that he wants to continue with this to support his family.

“What is beyond understanding is the attitude of the Home Office, who are removing a mother from her family, leaving two young girls in the care of elderly and infirm Grandparents for no apparent reason.

“This must not be allowed to happen and I will do all I can to stop this madness immediately”.

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