David Lammy has hinted that the UK government could U-turn to allow Palestinian scholars to bring their children to the UK.
A group of 34 Palestinian students, including Chevening scholars, with places at British universities have been given permission to continue their studies in Britain. But nearly all have been told by the Foreign Office that they are not allowed to bring their children with them.
One Palestinian student, Manar al-Houbi, who had expected to be able to arrive with her husband and three young children, told the BBC: “I was told [I could not bring my children] just days before our evacuation when I received an email from the FCDO [the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] … It is impossible for me to leave my children behind.”
The Refugee Council and the University of Oxford have raised concerns about the government’s decision to block students from bringing about 20 children to the UK.
Interviewed on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Lammy, the deputy prime minister, said: “I don’t want to cut across the decisions that the new foreign secretary, Yvette [Cooper], and the new home secretary are making, but they will have seen that broadcast, they will no doubt have seen what the Refugee Council and Oxford are saying and I know the intent is to bring people to study and not to cause them further pain or hardship.”
Houbi plans to take up a PhD place at Glasgow University but has been told by UK officials that it would mean leaving her three young children and her husband behind in Gaza.
“We are a family, we are one unit, we cannot be separated,” she told the BBC, speaking from her tent in Khan Younis.
As part of a crackdown on immigration, most international students are not allowed to bring their dependants with them to the UK.
The group of students from Gaza with places at British universities have been evacuated and are due to arrive in the UK within days. All 34 have fully funded scholarships and have received support from the UK government to leave Gaza.
The group, which includes at least four medical doctors, were assisted in leaving the territory on Wednesday. They are expected to be brought to the UK early next week to take up their university places.
The group includes students under the Chevening scholarship, a mostly government-funded scheme for international students to study a one-year master’s degree in the UK.
The evacuation follows months of campaigning by politicians, academics and others on behalf of more than 100 Palestinian students holding offers from UK universities this year.
Enver Solomon, the chief executive of Refugee Council, said: “It is excessively harsh to tell students fleeing the appalling devastation in Gaza that while they can study safely here, they must leave their loved ones behind. No one should be forced to choose between their education and their family.
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“We know from our frontline services that allowing refugees to be with their partner and children not only helps them recover from trauma but also makes it far easier to settle, study and contribute fully to our communities.
“Family reunion is a lifeline, not a luxury – it is one of the most important and humane safe and legal routes we have. The government should urgently reconsider and ensure families can stay together in safety.”
A University of Oxford spokesperson said: “As a university of sanctuary, Oxford is concerned about the impact of current restrictions on student dependants, which risk preventing talented Gazan scholars with very young children and babies from taking up their places.”
The Home Office has been approached for comment.
