By Rachel Amery
Copyright scotsman
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has blamed Israel for the UK government’s decision to block a Glasgow student’s bid to evacuate her children from Gaza. Manar al-Houbi has a place to study for a PhD at Glasgow University and had completed visa applications to her husband and three children, who are aged three, five and ten. However, just days before her evacuation from Gaza, Ms al-Houbi was told her family would no longer be able to travel with her to Scotland. Mr Lammy has refused to say whether he will overturn this decision. He said it was a decision for the Home Office on a case-by-case basis. Speaking to BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Ms al-Houbi said: “This is very, very late after completing all the visa steps for my husband and my three children. “I was told just days before our evacuation when I received an email from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. “I trust that the UK government will make the right decision. Please don’t let me choose between my family and my education, because it is impossible for me to be separated from them.” Get daily political analysis – subscribe for free to The Steamie In response, Mr Lammy said: “For months, since the Prime Minister announced this, we’re been trying to bring scholars and students to the UK and to bring children in medical distress to the UK for treatment. “It is important to understand that we are dependent on Israeli permissions to bring these people out and that is not easy to get. “Thirty-four [people] have come in the last few days, subject to our immigration rules on a case-by-case basis.” As home secretary, Yvette Cooper had agreed to allow some families to travel to the UK to allow a parent to study. Mr Lammy said: “Every family is different and I don’t know the circumstances of each individual family. The home secretary makes that decision, but that sits behind decisions we might or might not get from Israel. “I don’t want to cut across the decisions the new foreign secretary and home secretary are making, but they will have seen this broadcast and seen what the Refugee Council is saying. I know the intent is to bring people here to be able to study and not cause further pain and hardship.” Around 40 students from Gaza are due to start studying at Scottish universities this academic year. Earlier this week, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The Scottish Government will work to ensure every eligible Gazan student with the offer of a scholarship is able to get to Scotland, where they will be warmly welcomed.” Glasgow University has been approached for comment.
