Up to 300 Tube staff at risk of being deported as Government faces calls to suspend new visa rules

"The revelation came as Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the biggest Tube union, the RMT, called for the new rules to be suspended pending the publication of advice from the Migration Advisory Committee that is due next year. More than 100 union activists, led by Mr Dempsey, mounted a protest outside the Home Office on Wednesday morning. MPs John McDonnell and Zarah Sultana also attended the demonstration, while Diane Abbott tweeted her support."

"Mr Dempsey said that 63 RMT members working for London Underground were facing deportation some as early as November. But Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA union, estimated the total could be as high as 300 Tube staff mostly people working at Tube stations as customer service assistants. Mr Dempsey told the protesters: This is a really serious situation. We have got members working for Transport for London who are facing deportation in a few short weeks' time."

Eddie Dempsey called for the new immigration rules to be suspended pending publication of Migration Advisory Committee advice due next year. More than 100 union activists protested outside the Home Office, joined by MPs John McDonnell and Zarah Sultana and support from Diane Abbott. Dempsey said 63 RMT members face deportation, some as early as November; TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust estimated up to 300 Tube workers could be affected, mostly station customer service assistants. The Government raised the visa sponsorship salary threshold to £41,700 and removed key transport roles from the skilled worker list. Many began on two-year graduate visas and were later given permanent contracts. Dempsey accused Yvette Cooper of hastily tightening rules via statutory instrument without parliamentary scrutiny.

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