MP Appeals To Minister For Andrei Bazanov

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 1st Feb 2005

Annette Brooke MP has written to the Minister for Immigration in the Home Office in a direct appeal for him to consider the very special circumstances surrounding Andrei Bazanov's asylum case.

Having taken advice from her colleague and former human rights barrister Simon Hughes, the only remaining option open to the Dorset MP to help her constituent was to write to the Minister urging him to exercise his discretion to allow Andrei Bazanov to remain in the UK for reasons of respect for his family and private life guaranteed by Article 8 of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Outlining in detail Andrei's personal circumstances, in particular his family situation in Moldova and in Britain, Annette Brooke stressed the fact that Andrei has no family to return to in Moldova, and yet has a loving and caring foster family and network of friends in Poole.

"There is no family to rejoin at home and, literally, no family home left to go back to. Andrei has nobody at all at home to whom he can return.

Next, Annette Brooke highlighted other compelling reasons for allowing Andrei to stay including the fact that his academic performance is excellent, and he is now very well established at the local university. Also noteworthy is the fact that Andrei is fully self-supporting, and has undertaken paid work in addition to his studies in order to support himself.

Commenting Annette Brooke said:

"I am so grateful to Simon who has devoted a great deal of time to the case, and who has ensured that the salient points have been very clearly and succinctly expressed. He feels that Andrei has a strong case to remain, but does stress that the decision rests with the Home Office, and in particular on the Minister exercising his discretion."