Former Civil Servant Joins Human Rights Charity Opposing Government's Immigration Policies

Transitioning from Inspecting Immigration Detention Centres to Advocating for Human Rights

A former top civil servant who was responsible for inspecting immigration detention centres has joined a left-leaning human rights charity. Jade Glenister, 40, wrote a book on the best practices for detaining illegal immigrants during her five-year tenure with HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Opposing the Government's Rwanda Policy

Now serving as the deputy director of Detention Action, Glenister is actively opposing the government's Rwanda policy. This move has raised concerns among some politicians about the alignment of civil servants' actions with their responsibilities while in office.

Politicians Question Confidence in Impartiality

Tory MP Marco Longhi expressed his concern, stating, "It's really concerning to see civil servants transitioning to roles that actively oppose government policies. This raises questions about the alignment of their actions with their responsibilities while in post." He further questioned how politicians can maintain confidence in a service that is meant to be impartial when such transitions occur.

Call for Review of Governance Integrity and Accountability

Longhi called for a review into how the integrity of governance can be maintained and how politicians can more easily remove failing or obstructive civil servants. He believes that this is crucial for delivering on their elected mandate and maintaining public trust.

Expertise to Challenge Immigration Policies

Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, highlighted that Glenister's role in drafting the rules for detaining and removing illegal immigrants and immigration offenders positions her perfectly to challenge the government's immigration policies. He suggested that she would be well aware of any loopholes in the system.