MP presents Tony Lola petition to Parliament

10.40.48am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 31st Mar 2009

John, Mireille, Tony Lola and Didsbury C of E take the petition to Parliament.

Liberal Democrat MP, John Leech will today present a petition to the House of Commons on behalf of 9 year-old Burnage resident, Tony Lola, who is threatened with deportation to war-torn DR Congo.

Having been held in police custody by Congolese officials at the age of just 5, Tony was sent to the UK three years ago by relatives. Once here he joined his mother, who had fled the country in fear for her life in 2002 and applied for asylum status. Along with his mother, Mireille, Tony now faces deportation back to volatile DR Congo, where his politically active father remains on the run.

Prior to presenting the petition this evening, Mr Leech welcomed Tony and a group from his school, Didsbury C of E primary school, and local churches to the Houses of Parliament in advance of their visit to the offices of Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to drop off handwritten pleas from every one of Tony's classmates.

John Leech said,

"The asylum system in this country was designed for cases just like Tony's. The government should not be looking to deport 9 year-olds and their mothers back to a politically volatile, war-torn country where immediate relatives are already on the run in fear of their lives."

"I will therefore be doing everything in my power to aid Tony's plight and have requested a private meeting with Immigration Minister, Phil Woolas, to discuss his case."