The tribute to Nelson Mandela in Parliament yesterday led to a number of anecdotes and memories being discussed in a place where our laws are made. Many of our legislators had met Mr Mandela, and so there was a rich resource to draw on. One of those speaking was the Conservative MP for Banbury, Tony Baldry, a neighbour of David Cameron in political terms whose speech included the following comments:

“Mandela exemplified the dignity of hope. We all have to learn from his humility and from his preparedness to forgive those who persecuted him. The inheritance of Mandela’s hope should be for the people of Africa. It was particularly striking that he only served one term as President of South Africa, on a continent where far too often political leaders cling on to power for as long as possible. As a country we are now the most generous donor of development aid of all the G8 nations. We can give development assistance to South Africa and provide it and South Africans with education. The right hon. Members for Neath (Mr Hain) and for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) and I are all graduates of the university of Sussex, which has produced more Members of the South African Parliament than of this Parliament as a result of the support the university gave to those from the ANC during the ’60s and ’70s. Africa must form its own destiny and decide whether it follows the path exemplified by Mandela of transparency, democracy, accountability and justice, or whether it pursues a course of corruption, cronyism and conflict.”

This mention of Sussex University must have been encouraging for the current authorities and I also found it very interesting. I arrived in Brighton at the end of the 1970’s to study Electronics at Brighton Polytechnic. I had many friends at the University down the road and although I never met anyone from South Africa, it was clear that the University was the place of choice for radicals, an ethos that did spill over to the Polytechnic in some places. The most notable person I met was Pete Silkin, whose Uncle, Sam Silkin was at that time the Attorney General. What Tony Baldry could not have known was that he was not alone in referring to his Alma Mater yesterday in Parliament. I know that Sussex University is not often referred to in Westminster as I use ‘They Work for You’ to alert me to any statements that are made regarding Sussex. It is an excellent service and I would heartily recommend it. Along with the comments by Mr Baldry the University was also mentioned by Lord Clement Jones in the Lords in a debate on the ease of securing visas by entertainers.

“My Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware of the case of the singer and composer Pamela Z who came from San Francisco on a PPE visa on the invitation of Sussex University and City University, London? She was held by UKBA at Gatwick for more than three hours and eventually allowed to enter only on the extraordinary condition that she could teach at Sussex but not perform at City University. Can my noble friend clarify whether non-EU performing artists invited on these visas by higher education institutes can both teach and perform? Indeed, perhaps he can tell us how to distinguish between the two on every occasion.”

I am certain that the actions of the immigration authorities will be scrutinised in the right place and some correction in the system made. It is possible that had the system worked as it should that Pamela Z would have gained access to the country without any problems. It may be that as an American, she has more understanding of draconian actions by immigration officials than some of us. However I know that her experience is not unique and I know of many people who are due to speak in meetings and at conferences whose arrival in the UK or even ability to secure Visas in the first place is challenged and sometimes denied by our Government. These are not members of terrorist organisations, they are teachers or religious leaders. I am sure that even in the 1960’s and 1970’s there were barriers to access. However if I have understood the tone of Tony Baldry’s speech correctly, he is unaware that some of the people he was at University with, would not be allowed to come and visit the campus to give a lecture, let alone send their grandchildren to study at the University as their predecessors did. Due to our immigration rules, we are denying our ability to influence future South African Governments, and future legislators may be denied the chance to tell stories on days like yesterday! We also risk denying our own grandchildren the opportunity to understand the world in the way we have understood it!