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MP offers last-ditch hope for Arnel Cabrera
1:21pm Friday 16th May 2008
ARNEL Cabrera could be allowed to return to the UK with his son if last-ditch talks are successful.
The 38-year-old boarded a flight back to the Philippines on Tuesday, but behind the scenes there has been a furious last-minute drive to over-turn a Home Office decision to reject his visa application.
Anne Snelgrove, the South Swindon MP, held a two-hour meeting on Tuesday night with Home Office minister Liam Byrne to try to overturn the decision.
She said the minister was sympathetic to Arnel's plight and was seriously considering the arguments put forward.
She said: "We have put a different and more compelling reason to the minister for Arnel to remain here.
"The crux of the matter is that Mr Cabrera would have had the right to remain in this country if his wife had lived.
"The deal was that after five years of service as a nurse Mrs Cabrera would have been allowed to stay and so would her family.
"That is where we have let Arnel down badly - by saying that because his wife died he now has to leave the country.
"I think we put forward a very strong case and I hope the minister is sympathetic to that."
Mrs Snelgrove said the argument previously pursued by lawyers acting for Mr Cabrera had been a "bit of a dead end".
The appeal turned down by the Home Office had centred around article eight of the Human Rights Act, which offers protection for a person's private and family life.
Mrs Snelgrove believes the fact that Arnel has now returned to the Philippines will not harm the appeal.
She said: "At this stage it is immaterial if Arnel is in the country or not because if the appeal is successful he can apply for a visa from the Philippines.
"For now it's important that he is with his son to celebrate his birthday then, hopefully, they can both come back to the UK."
Arnel, who himself worked at the GWH as an assistant technical officer, has always maintained that it had been his wife's wish to raise their son in Swindon.
Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust admitted liability for Mayra being administered Bupivacaine intravenously in May 2004. She died just an hour after giving birth to the couple's son Zac at the Great Western Hospital.
She suffered a heart attack, which a post-mortem later confirmed had been caused by drug toxicity.
Arnel, who had been living with friends in Eldene following the inquest into his wife's death, had given the Home Office a deadline of Wednesday to allow him to stay.
He decided to leave quietly on Tuesday to go back to the Philippines to celebrate Zac's fourth birthday.
Your Say YourSwindon
Meldrews Dad, Wroughton says...
2:10pm Fri 16 May 08
After such a tradegy one can only pray for this poor man and his child. He needs to know that the people of Swindon, with the exception of a few, a decent people who wish them well.
Unlike many who are allowed to stay he wants to work and has no plans or desires to blow any of us up.
Perhaps Mrs Snelgrove would like to tell the home office that the people here say "welcome back".
steve-o, Swindon says...
2:15pm Fri 16 May 08
Pav wrote:You reckon that many!!
The Home Office should get Mr Cabrera to write a list of "10 reasons why Swindon is better than the Philippines". I bet he gives up before he gets to number four.
malkym, says...
2:30pm Fri 16 May 08
steve-o wrote:1. More Roundabouts, 2. Two great local hard working MPS who continualy ignore the party line and always vote for local issues, 3.A better footy team 4 err.........err.....
Pav wrote: The Home Office should get Mr Cabrera to write a list of "10 reasons why Swindon is better than the Philippines". I bet he gives up before he gets to number four.You reckon that many!!
.
steve-o, Swindon says...
2:37pm Fri 16 May 08
malkym wrote:oi no knocking the Town, invested too much money there.
steve-o wrote:1. More Roundabouts, 2. Two great local hard working MPS who continualy ignore the party line and always vote for local issues, 3.A better footy team 4 err.........err..... .Pav wrote: The Home Office should get Mr Cabrera to write a list of "10 reasons why Swindon is better than the Philippines". I bet he gives up before he gets to number four.You reckon that many!!
Is that not the kiss of death tho, Anne Snelgrove is taking it further.
Bye Bye
yeti, swindon says...
2:38pm Fri 16 May 08
malkym, says...
2:47pm Fri 16 May 08
dolly daydream, says...
3:05pm Fri 16 May 08
Ha ha ha, brilliant. Cheered up my boring friday afternoon :)
steve-o, Swindon says...
3:10pm Fri 16 May 08
malkym wrote:Know you r not knocking mate.
No Steve not knocking Town! Mind you we'll never hear the last of it if B'Anne'D wagon succeeds - she'd think that 'd be her ticket to re-election BUT dream on in that respect I say!
Dunno about dream of re-election, that falls into nightmare scenario . Yeh??
Frontier(s), says...
3:18pm Fri 16 May 08
malkym wrote:The government are in such dire straits, and MPs are so worried about their seats, that it wouldn't surprise me if NuBruin has given carte blanche to government departments to pretty much do as Labour MPs ask at the moment.
No Steve not knocking Town! Mind you we'll never hear the last of it if B'Anne'D wagon succeeds - she'd think that 'd be her ticket to re-election BUT dream on in that respect I say!
This could, therefore, be one of those very rare occasions where Snelgrove is successful.
It appears from some posts here that many can't distinguish between the law of the land and raw emotion - still, given the state of this country, that doesn't surprise me much.
Again, nobody is saying this man hasn't had a tough time of it - but that in no way gives him any legal right to become a British citizen whatsoever.
BWB, SWINDON says...
4:07pm Fri 16 May 08
comments.
Thats what i call hogging the forum.
Yes you know who you are.
Grumpy, Swindon says...
4:26pm Fri 16 May 08
This man has no right to be here any more than the other 2 million illegal immigrants that should be deported.
Cjones1234, Swindon, Peatmoor says...
4:51pm Fri 16 May 08
Frontier(s), says...
5:10pm Fri 16 May 08
Cjones1234 wrote:But why should that mean he doesn't want to live in the country he was born and raised in?
effectivley our country killed his wife and tore his family apart.....law of the land should right this off i personally would expect the same.
SHEEPHEAD, SWINDON says...
5:15pm Fri 16 May 08
I Too Could Be a Councillor, Swindon says...
5:18pm Fri 16 May 08
But why should that mean he doesn't want to live in the country he was born and raised in?
Perhaps they've got a Labour Government "on the way in".
I blame Labour
SHEEPHEAD, SWINDON says...
5:29pm Fri 16 May 08
mr big, Swindon says...
5:35pm Fri 16 May 08
I Too Could Be a Councillor, Swindon says...
5:45pm Fri 16 May 08
What are tour policies on Aviaion, Motorbikes, and rock 'n' Roll?
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
6:05pm Fri 16 May 08
who dat?, says...
7:26pm Fri 16 May 08
AND HOW MANY ARE STILL WORKING THEIR WITHOUT PERMITS?
WTF?, Swindon says...
8:09pm Fri 16 May 08
Meldrews Dad: Perhaps Mrs Snelgrove would like to tell the home office that the people here say "welcome back".
No they do NOT.
There is no reason for this untalented man to return to the UK.
His child doesn't even live with him, he went 'home' ages ago to live with relatives. The only reason 'Arnel' wants to come back is so that 'Arnel' can live in a free house on benefits.
There is absolutely NO reason why this man should come back, there is nothing here for him other than a free ride and that should NOT be a reason.
Anyone that supports this mans claim is unbelievably mad and obviously has no respect for GREAT Britain. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
9:33pm Fri 16 May 08
Anyone that supports this mans claim is unbelievably mad and obviously has no respect for GREAT Britain. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Mum says
reverse that WTF Great Britain should let this man and his son stay! (still love ya WTF x)
WTF?, Swindon says...
9:46pm Fri 16 May 08
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
10:00pm Fri 16 May 08
kyoceran, swindon says...
10:43pm Fri 16 May 08
Swindon Local, Swindon, Wiltshire says...
6:03am Sat 17 May 08
ras, town says...
6:08am Sat 17 May 08
why he was even sent back is beyond belief. for gods sake let the poor guy try to make the best of his life with his young son, now hes lost his wife and the child has lost his mother due to nhs NEGLIGENCE!
**LET HIM COME BACK**
Swindon Local, Swindon, Wiltshire says...
8:33am Sat 17 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
8:37am Sat 17 May 08
Frontier(s), says...
9:05am Sat 17 May 08
Mumstheword wrote:Because he was here illegally.
Why should they make him go?
Mumstheworld, you worry me. You're the mother of six children who will take their cues in life from you and yet in this instance you're advocating allowing an illegal immigrant to stay in the UK and in another story you supported a man who deliberately made a criminal of him and his wife in the Phillipines.
Why do you consistently support illegal acts and do you advise your children to do the same?
WTF?, Swindon says...
9:36am Sat 17 May 08
Mumstheword wrote:He's gone.
Why should they make him go?
Why do we now have to pay for him to come back into a country which doesn't speak his language and that he can offer nothing to as he's unskilled.
We will be paying for him and his Son for the rest of their lives.
Just imagine:
His son will be growing up here in a non-English speaking household, he then has to go to an 'English' school and learn our language. He will inevitably struggle, which in turn will have an effect of the time his teacher has available for the English speaking children, those who deserve our education, so a TA will be brought it, at an expense to us tax payers of around £10,000 pa + for 16 years.
Now MumsTheWord put forward your argument as to why he should 'come back'?
I Too Could Be a Councillor, Swindon says...
3:07pm Sat 17 May 08
This guy is illegaly in the UK, sponging from us and our taxes. Quicker he gets deported the better. Once deported he should never be allowed to return.
That's weird!
I thought he was also working, for the hospital that killed his wife
WTF?, Swindon says...
3:26pm Sat 17 May 08
Therefore, when she died he had no rights to be here and he didn't bother getting his own visa, whilst social services tried to find suitable 'parents' to look after the child.
Frontier(s), says...
6:28pm Sat 17 May 08
I Too Could Be a Councillor wrote:Strange that he'd want to stay here in that case.
This guy is illegaly in the UK, sponging from us and our taxes. Quicker he gets deported the better. Once deported he should never be allowed to return.That's weird! I thought he was also working, for the hospital that killed his wife
If a country/state had killed my wife and I had a homeland to return to, that's just what I'd do.
To all the supporters of Mr Cabrera, one question: why do you really think he's so keen to live in the UK, the country that killed his wife?
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
11:26pm Sat 17 May 08
Frontier(s) wrote:My children will hopefully grow up to have compassion for fellow human beings. I want them to understand that we all sometimes make mistakes, but it's how we deal with them and how we learn from them that is crucial. If that makes me a bad mother big mac Bloody sack me! My kids wont grow up with my opinions. They will be taught to make informed opnions and choices of their own. They are not sheep, they are children!
Mumstheword wrote: Why should they make him go?Because he was here illegally. Mumstheworld, you worry me. You're the mother of six children who will take their cues in life from you and yet in this instance you're advocating allowing an illegal immigrant to stay in the UK and in another story you supported a man who deliberately made a criminal of him and his wife in the Phillipines. Why do you consistently support illegal acts and do you advise your children to do the same?
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
11:28pm Sat 17 May 08
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
11:38pm Sat 17 May 08
WTF? wrote:How do you know that he does not speak our language? Do you have evidence of this?
Mumstheword wrote: Why should they make him go?He's gone. Why do we now have to pay for him to come back into a country which doesn't speak his language and that he can offer nothing to as he's unskilled. We will be paying for him and his Son for the rest of their lives. Just imagine: His son will be growing up here in a non-English speaking household, he then has to go to an 'English' school and learn our language. He will inevitably struggle, which in turn will have an effect of the time his teacher has available for the English speaking children, those who deserve our education, so a TA will be brought it, at an expense to us tax payers of around £10,000 pa + for 16 years. Now MumsTheWord put forward your argument as to why he should 'come back'?
Non english speaking children receive extra support at school so that other children do not suffer, I know this as a fact as I am a governor at the school. As for a Ta being brought in, well you could argue that bringing children like this into the country creates jobs for our people.
He should come back because both him and his wife came over here and worked. He may have been unskilled but he worked, he didn't claim benefits. Hard working people like this deserve a chance. Particularly when they have suffered such a tragedy as Arnel's. I say bring him back, train him up and get him a job. Give him and his son the same chance that they would of had if his wife had not died due to a tragic mistake.
Frontier(s), says...
10:27am Sun 18 May 08
Mumstheword wrote:But that doesn't mean you can simply break the ones you don't like on the off-chance they might someday be changed.
I would like to add that not all laws are just and they do get changed.
You seem to be confusing having an opinion and making informed choices with plain old breaking the law and criminality.
By the way, you infer that letting Mr Cabrera stay in the UK would be 'compassionate'. Could you tell me what is uncompassionate about a person returning home to the country they were born and lived in for 90% of their life?
He won't be tortured there, he won't be harmed there and he won't suffer there. In fact, he'll be a nice long distance away from the country that killed his wife. Why is that such a terrible thing?
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
1:07pm Sun 18 May 08
What is uncompassionate is the fact that we allowed him here in the first place. We said "welcome, come to England with your wife, she has a skill." Then, "Oh dear, we killed your wife by accident now you had best bugger off back home!"
Please don't start telling me life is not fair! I already know that.
yeti, swindon says...
4:45pm Sun 18 May 08
the poor bloke is trying to give his child the best opportunity for a good upbringing.the least we brits can do is give the bloke a break.he is the type of person we should be welcoming.if his wife didn't die it wouldn't even be an issue.
WTF?, Swindon says...
10:01pm Sun 18 May 08
Why was his son in the Phillipines with relatives?
You lot are so naive. You think everything bad happens to nice people don't you.
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
9:14am Mon 19 May 08
I don't know the answer, do you WTF, if so perhaps you could put us all in the picture?
You lot are so naive. You think everything bad happens to nice people don't you.
Actually no I don't. I have not made my mind up on that one, although I would like to believe the Dharmachakra wheel works.
Terence, Swindon says...
10:34am today Mon 19 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez wrote:Robert - Are you sure about this?
It's interesting that no one has mentioned, probably because of fear of being branded a racist, that the midwife who gave the incorrect application of the drug was not of these shores either.
WTF?, Swindon says...
11:23am Mon 19 May 08
Which is another **** reason why we, Great Britain, don't owe him anything.
We tax payers here, who will end up paying for him, didn't administer the epidural.
Can I just ask you all to watch Channel Four on Thursday, 9pm.
There's one question put to a man, who has endless kids, on it:
'Who do you think pays for you to live?'
His reply: 'The council'
Where do you lay abouts on here think that money comes from? It's from ME. Me and my family and friends who all work for a living and pay tax and I am sick to death of it.
Stop thinking it's okay for you to decide how I spend my money.
Your time will come when you have nothing, when you're 'disability' (cough obesity) is seen as a lie and/or you can no longer have children, or care for a so called 'ill' relative and I will sit and point and laugh at you with enormous pleasure.
GET A JOB AND YOU PAY FOR THESE PEOPLE AND THEN YOU CAN SAY 'WE SHOULD SHOW THEM COMPASSION'
You make me sick.
Frontier(s), says...
11:39am Mon 19 May 08
Mumstheword wrote:
What is uncompassionate is the fact that we allowed him here in the first place. We said "welcome, come to England with your wife, she has a skill." Then, "Oh dear, we killed your wife by accident now you had best bugger off back home!"
We didn't kill anybody. One NHS member of staff made a horrendous fatal mistake.
Mr Cabrera was only legally here because of his wife's right of entry. Without his wife, he was here illegally.
The circumstances are tragic, nobody is denying that, but it doesn't change the facts and it doesn't change the law.
Most criminals have some sad story or other in their lives, as do the rest of us, but it doesn't excuse a person from having to abide by the law (much as defence lawyers might think otherwise).
Yes, it's terrible that his wife died as she did, yes it's an awful situation he now faces but how is it going to be made any better by letting him live in the UK? It won't bring his wife back and won't give his children their mother.
So, why are you so keen to see him live in the UK? It just doesn't make any sense. His home country isn't dangerous and is economically fairly well positioned and, of course, the rest of his family live there - surely they'll be needed to help him raise his children.
Mumstheword wrote:
Please don't start telling me life is not fair! I already know that.
As you're only too keen to keep reminding us.
Yes, life's unfair. It's the first lesson every child should learn.
Life's also unfair for everyone. There's nothing worse than people who think bad things only happen to them.
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
1:09pm Mon 19 May 08
Where do you lay abouts on here think that money comes from? It's from ME. Me and my family and friends who all work for a living and pay tax and I am sick to death of it.
Who are these so called lay abouts? I don't see any posting on here? The government decide what your money gets spent on not anyone on here! Please don't tar everybody with the same brush as the bloke on that programme. Some of us want to work and some of us try hard and try to help in our local communities and schools. Not everybody is the same. People who don't give a **** about the world around them do not post here! They are too busy with their own little lives and their next can of special brew.
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
1:13pm Mon 19 May 08
Most criminals have some sad story or other in their lives, as do the rest of us, but it doesn't excuse a person from having to abide by the law (much as defence lawyers might think otherwise)
Yes I agree with you but what's that got to do with Arnel? He isn't a criminal? Just a hard working man who moved here with his wife, as they wanted a better life.
Frontier said
There's nothing worse than people who think bad things only happen to them.
Who are we talking about here Arnel? The other bloke in the Phillipines? Me? All of the above?
Yes of course bad things happen to all of us!
Frontier(s), says...
5:08pm Mon 19 May 08
Mumstheword wrote:
Yes I agree with you but what's that got to do with Arnel? He isn't a criminal? Just a hard working man who moved here with his wife, as they wanted a better life.
At the risk of repeating this for about the fourth time... yes, he was a criminal.
He was in this country illegally the moment his wife died.
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Frontier(s), says...
1:54pm Fri 16 May 08
But, surely the real crux of the matter is: she didn't.
Mind you, maybe we'll see yet another government U-turn!
I guess it's got that desperate that Labour MPs will do just about anything... even for one vote.