​Labour leader makes a rare foray north

Jeremy Corbyn will meet groups representing asylum seekers under threat of eviction on a visit to Glasgow today.

The Labour leader will be joined by Richard Leonard, Scottish Labour leader, as he meets campaign groups and some of the families affected by Serco’s decision to evict up to 330 refugees in the city.

Ahead of the visit, Corbyn said: “Asylum seekers who have fled horrific conflict and violence and have since made the UK their home deserve our help and support, not persecution from profiteering private companies.

“[Theresa] May’s government has failed to uphold our country’s moral duty to refugees. Labour will end the Tories’ ‘hostile environment’ policy that has caused such cruel and inhumane treatment of British citizens as well as asylum seekers and refugees.”

Shelter is applying for a court order on 27 August to lift the threat of eviction for two people still pursuing asylum while Govan Law Centre, a public interest law firm specialising in housing, has begun legal action in the court of session in Edinburgh to test the legal basis for the policy.

Labour has criticised the SNP for having had little direct involvement in the issue.