PM urged to prevent deportation of family over FGM fears

Theresa May has been urged to intervene to stop a domestic abuse victim's family being deported, amid genital mutilation fears for the woman's daughter.

SNP MP Hannah Bardell described the abuse one of her Livingston constituents has suffered at the hands of her estranged husband, including her face being smashed with an iPad'', for refusing the genital mutilation of her three-year-old girl.

Ms Bardell warned the girl will be subject to female genital mutilation if the UK Government fails to stop the family being deported.

Mrs May said Home Secretary Amber Rudd was in the Commons to hear the case raised, adding that the abhorrent'' practice of FGM will not be accepted in the UK.

But the PM stopped short of offering her personal guarantee to take action to help Ms Bardell's constituent.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Bardell said: Her face smashed with an iPad, her body beaten and forced to abort a baby girl.

This is only some of the domestic abuse my constituent Lola has faced by her estranged husband because she has refused the genital mutilation of her daughter.

Lola is educated, has a mortgage and had a good job with RBS until the Home Office revoked her right to work.

I have been writing to the Home Office since March and have got nowhere.

So will the Prime Minister intervene to stop this family being deported and this three-year-old girl being subject to female genital mutilation?''

Mrs May replied: The Home Secretary has heard the case you have set out here today.

The issue of female genital mutilation is one on which I think we're all agreed across this whole House - it's an abhorrent activity, it should not be taking place.

Great efforts have been made over recent years, both in terms of strengthening the law on female genital mutilation but also on getting information out about this issue and trying to support people in communities where there is a practice of FGM.

I think the message has to go out from this House, we will not accept FGM in this country.'