LOUISE CHRISTIAN, the eminent human rights lawyer, has been selected as the Socialist Alliance candidate to challenge Home Office minister Barbara Roche in Hornsey and Wood Green at the next election.

Louise, who is well known for a series of high-profile cases including acting for the victims of the Southall and Ladbroke Grove train crashes, is the daughter of Oxford’s Mayor, Maureen Christian.

Among the other cases Louise and her firm have taken up are the deaths in custody of Wayne Douglas and Joy Gardiner, racial attacks (including the murder of Ricky Reel) and immigration and asylum cases – including the defence of detainees at the Campsfield immigration prison who were charged with riot.

Barbara Roche, as the Home Office minister dealing with immigration and asylum cases is not only responsible for the continued detention of thousands of refugees, but also for the vicious system of issuing vouchers rather than cash benefits to support asylum seekers pending their case being processed.

John Lister, Socialist Alliance PPC for Oxford East, today gave a warm welcome to Louise’s selection, saying "Barbara Roche and her policies must be challenged."

"We are determined to make the closure of Campsfield, the scrapping of the voucher system and ending the scandal of New Labour’s racist laws on asylum and immigration a major feature of our campaign in Oxford East. To have Louise involved in the Socialist Alliance will strengthen our case enormously."

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 Background: New Labour, immigration and asylum

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