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WINDRUSH: Home secretary Amber Rudd is facing calls to resign

THE HOME Office set targets for the voluntary deportation of illegal immigrants, it has been revealed.

The news comes amid calls for home secretary Amber Rudd’s resignation.

In response to an urgent question posed in the House of Commons, Rudd said: "I have never agreed that there should be specific removal targets and I would never support a policy that puts targets ahead of people.”

She went on to say: "The immigration arm of the Home Office has been using local targets for internal performance management.

"These were not published targets against which performance was assessed, but if they were used inappropriately then I am clear that this will have to change.”

Labour MPs and those affected by the Windrush immigration blunder are among those who have called on Rudd to resign.

Diane Abbott said: “Amber Rudd still not taking responsibility for the Windrush scandal. She is the Home Secretary. She must resign.”

Speaking in the Commons, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Last week, the current home secretary admitted the Home Office sometimes loses sight of the individual. Yet we now know that when she took over from her predecessor, her intent was to harden this cruel and misdirected policy, pledging to do so ruthlessly.

“The current home secretary inherited a failing policy and made it worse. Isn’t it time she took responsibility and resigned?”

During her appearance before a select committee yesterday, Rudd denied that targets were used when she was quizzed over the treatment of members of the Windrush generation.

Voluntary deportation or departure refers to categories of removal where people are subject to enforced removal but may receive assistance from the authorities to leave.

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