The Scotsman

Apology after EU nationals sent letter with deportatio­n warning

- By HAYDEN SMITH tom.peterkin@scotsman.com

The Home Office has apologised after around 100 letters were wrongly sent to EU nationals warning them they face detention and removal from the UK.

An urgent investigat­ion has been launched into the error, which emerged after a Finnish academic posted about correspond­ence she received from the department on social media.

Eva Johanna Holmberg, who is married to a Briton, was told she had a month to leave. She was also warned that she was “liable to be detained”.

Dr Holmberg, a visiting fel- 0 Eva Johanna Holmberg told she had a month to leave UK low at Queen Mary University of London, tweeted: “Home Office wants to deport a Finnish academic who is married to a Brit and pays taxes in Britain, ie me.”

After her experience came to light, it was revealed that up to 100 similar letters had been sent.

A Home Office spokesman said: “A limited number of letters were issued in error and we have been urgently looking into why this happened. “We are contacting everyone who received this letter to clarify that they can disregard it. We are absolutely clear that the rights of EU nationals living in the UK remain unchanged.”

Critics attacked the department over the blunder, warning it would fuel further concern among the 3.2 million EU citizens living in Britain after the Brexit vote sparked uncertaint­y over their status.

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