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Sharp rise in Turkish nationals facing UK removal sparks 'Windrush' accusations

newsNov 8, 202615226

MPs including David Lammy have warned of a sharp rise in Turkish nationals being refused indefinite leave to remain and facing removal after errors in European Community Association Agreement applications. Since January hundreds of ECAA holders have been refused, while successful applications fell from several thousand in previous years to just a few hundred this year; the uptick mainly affects applications lodged from September 2025. The Home Office insists the rules have not changed, but the move followed Labour conference proposals from Shabana Mahmood that questioned long‑standing legal constraints, and Mahmood said at the time that solving the crisis might require questioning assumptions and legal limits. Refusal letters contain basic errors and made‑up requirements, with case examples including a woman denied after cancer treatment in Turkey and a window‑cleaner told his business was not legitimate because he lacked a social media presence. Lammy said the decisions had “devastated” lives, compared the cases to the Windrush scandal, and called for the Home Office to urgently revisit the Lessons Learned review. The Home Office reviewed at least one case but upheld the refusal and in October told the woman and her three children they should leave the UK, prompting MPs to press for further scrutiny and potential ministerial accountability.

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