Public Petition: Andrei Bazanov

Speech delivered on Thu 11th Nov 2004

Annette Brooke, Andrei Bazanov and students from Bournemouth Grammar School presenting the petition to 10 Downing Street

Mrs. Annette L. Brooke (Mid-Dorset and North Poole) (LD): I wish to present a petition signed by nearly 1,200 students, teachers and parents from Bournemouth school for boys, attended by my constituent Andrei Bazanov from 2001 until 2003, in protest against his possible deportation following the failure of his recent appeal against a Home Office decision not to grant him further leave to remain in Britain. I have received glowing letters of support for Andrei from his former teachers, from his current lecturers at Bournemouth university, and from his manager at Comet, where he works part-time. Each letter highlights Andrei's many positive characteristics. He is bright, hard-working, honest, enthusiastic, a pleasure to teach or to work with, and overall an exceptional young man.

On behalf of Bournemouth school, I present a petition that states:

The Petition of friends of Andrei Bazanov declares

That at the age of 15, Andrei arrived in the United Kingdom, having travelled alone from his home country of Moldova. He was supported by a generous foster family and by Bournemouth school, where he attained four A-levels and made a great many friends, who regard him as a Bournemouthian.

The Petitioners further declare their strong opposition to his deportation.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Home Secretary to take urgent steps to reverse the decision to deport Andrei Bazanov.

And the Petitioners remain.