London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Oct 18, 2026

Government refuses to confirm cancellation of flight deporting Jamaica 50

The government has refused to confirm if the planned deportation of more than 50 people to Jamaica will go ahead on Tuesday, following an intervention by the Court of Appeal.

The Home Office was ordered on Monday evening not to remove anyone scheduled to be deported on the flight from two detention centres near Heathrow Airport, after lawyers launched urgent proceedings amid concerns mobile phone outages had prevented access to legal advice.

Lady Justice Simler said detainees should not be removed unless the Home Office is satisfied they ‘had access to a functioning, non-O2 Sim card on or before February 3’.

Government ministers have insisted the flight, which is understood to be leaving the UK at 6.30am on Tuesday, would go ahead despite concerns people who came to the country as young children will be on board.

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘The planned charter flight to Jamaica is specifically for deporting foreign national offenders.

‘Those detained for removal include people convicted of manslaughter, rape, violent crime and dealing Class-A drugs.

‘We are urgently asking the judge to reconsider their ruling and it would be inappropriate to comment further whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.’

Lady Justice Simler granted the order without a court hearing following an urgent application on paper by charity Detention Action.

The charity argued that some of the detainees at Colnbrooke and Harmondsworth detention centres still do not have a functioning mobile phone, following issues with an O2 phone mast in the area.

Bella Sankey, director of Detention Action, said: ‘We are delighted with this landmark decision which is a victory for access to justice, fairness and the rule of law.

‘On the basis of this order from our Court of Appeal we do not believe that anyone currently detained at the Heathrow detention centres can be removed on tomorrow’s flight.

‘We understand that this will apply to at least 56 people.’

Writer Nadine Batchelor-Hunt claimed a detainee at one of the centres had told her the flight was still going ahead.

She wrote on Twitter: ‘I’ve just had a detainee at Brook House on the phone terrified as he’s been told he’s being prepared for deportation NOW.’

Earlier this evening crowds of people protested the deportations outside Downing Street.

The demonstrators carried placards reading ‘Solidarity with the Windrush Generation’ and chanted ‘no charter flight, respect human rights’.

The protest later moved towards Parliament Square and blocked the road.

A woman, who gave her name only as Anthea, described her husband’s unsuccessful deportation battle last year.

The 51-year-old mother-of-two said: ‘He was deported on February 6 last year – he had no knowledge he was going to be deported until February 5.’

Anthea added she had been forced to borrow money and get into debt to pay for a solicitor to try and keep her husband in the country.

The Government faced sustained questioning and some heavy criticism over the decision in the House of Commons on Monday.

Labour MPs shouted ‘shame’ as Home Secretary Priti Patel left the chamber to allow junior minister Kevin Foster to respond to an urgent question on the matter for the Government.

More than 150 MPs have signed a letter calling on the Prime Minister to step in and stop the flight.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Inquiry Into Corporate Artificial Intelligence Partnerships
Automotive Industry Leaders Urge Westminster to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Rollout
Home Office Expands Digital Border Security Framework With Mandatory Electronic Travel Authorizations Across United Kingdom
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Final Consensus on Public Sector Pay Reform and Budget Allocations
Welsh First Minister Secures Additional Funding for Rural Agricultural Transition and Sustainable Farming Schemes
Scottish Government Unveils Accelerated Regional Infrastructure Strategy to Boost Clean Energy Manufacturing
National Health Service England Launches Emergency Recruitment Drive to Alleviate Severe Acute Care Winter Backlogs
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Wage Growth
British Government Finalizes Emergency Energy Support Package to Protect Households From Winter Price Surges
Russell Brand Trial Begins at Southwark Crown Court
UK Parliament to Debate Climate Risks and Council Tax Following Public Petitions
Department for Transport Demands Safety Audits Following Regional Rail Disruptions
House of Lords Scrutinizes Amendments to Armed Forces Bill
Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales Criticize Post-Brexit Funding Framework
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Defends Middle East Military Support Under Parliamentary Scrutiny
NHS Leaders Warn of Severe Pressure on Hospitals from Winter Virus Outbreaks
Retailers and Business Groups Lobby Chancellor for Relief from Rising Employment Taxes
City of London Taskforce Urges Radical Reform to Prevent UK From Becoming "Incubator Nation"
Bank of England Officials Signal Potential November Interest Rate Hike
Institute for Fiscal Studies Warns of £35 Billion Funding Gap in Upcoming Autumn Budget
IMF Upgrades UK Growth Forecast to 1.3% for 2026
Former UUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson sentenced to 15 years in prison for historical child sex offences
UK ministers adopt independent commission blueprint to fast-track AI in the NHS
Labour leadership orders local councillors to end power-sharing deals with Green Party
UK government considers regulatory intervention in proposed Sky and ITV merger
Environment Agency declares severe drought across six English regions as reservoirs hit critical lows
NHS England issues new guidance prohibiting transgender women from female-only wards
Norwegian teenager sentenced to 20 years for part of Iran-backed assassination plot in Britain
UK government threatens complete visa ban on Eritrea over refusal to accept deportees
UK Treasury lobbies UBS to move global headquarters to London amid banking sector tax threats
MI5 Warns of Growing Russian Sabotage and Espionage Threats Across Britain
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Plans Brussels Talks to Renegotiate Post-Brexit Trade Deal
MI5 Warns of Rising Russian and Iranian Sabotage Threats to British Military Facilities
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Closer EU Ties as MI5 Reveals Russian Brexit Interference
UK Orders Security Review Following Reported Killing of Former Politician Ann Widdecombe
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Meets German Chancellor Merz to Strengthen European Security Ties
Nearly 100,000 NHS Patients Treated in Hospital Corridors as England Braces for Winter Pressures
UK Government Rejects US-Russia Diesel Agreement and Reaffirms Sanctions Against Moscow
UK and Germany Agree to Deepen Security and Economic Cooperation Following Berlin Talks
British Prime Minister Burnham Pledges Closer EU Ties During Visit to Germany
UK Announces New Sanctions on 17 Russia-Linked Entities During Foreign Secretary's Ukraine Visit
UK and Germany Finalize Kensington Treaty to Strengthen Defense and Technology Cooperation
Britain Maintains Diplomatic Mission in East Jerusalem Despite Israeli Closure Deadline
English Councils Push Government to Rethink Proposed Funding Cuts
Scottish Homebuilding Falls to Lowest Level in 11 Years
BBC Chief Matt Brittin Defends Restructuring as Staff Challenge Job Cuts
UK Finance Warns High Energy Costs and Bond Yields Are Complicating Fiscal Outlook
UK Adopts All 44 Recommendations on Regulating AI in Healthcare
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget as Borrowing Costs Strain Public Finances
UK Investigators See Strong Indications of Iranian Link After RAF Fairford Security Operation
×