A PEEBLES man has hit out at Tweeddale MP David Mundell after failing to respond to his plea for help after UK immigration shattered his plans to fly his family from Hong Kong to the the town’s Beltane Festival.

Following our story in last week’s Peeblesshire News, Graham Hamilton has blasted the local MP and secretary of state for Scotland and Caroline Noakes, minister of state for immigration at the Home Office, for not responding to a series of emails over the last fortnight.

Graham launched a campaign, entitled ‘Get Tes to the Beltane’ after his Filipina domestic helper Tes had her visa request turned down by UK immigration.

The former pilot has been living and working in Hong Kong for five years at Heliservices, a helicopter company, and wanted to bring his wife Jacqui, their twin boys Lachlan and Braedan, and Tes to Peebles for the town’s annual Beltane Festival.

The Hamilton family have already spent £1,000 on flights and accommodation for their valued employee, who they consider to be a member of their family.

Mr Hamilton said: “Following my correspondence [to Mr Mundell and Ms Noakes] last week, I am disappointed that I have not received any reply or confirmation of any action being taken on my behalf, especially since David is the MP for my local area in Scotland, concerning the case.   

“I have given a week for some investigation and action to be taken and given the relative urgency of this case and the fact there has been no action, I have decided to escalate my actions in regards to this.  

“Furthermore, I have contacted the Office of the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, to alert him to the discrimination that is being applied to one of his citizens and I have pointed out that the decision on this visa application was made by a UK citizen based in the UK Visas and Immigration Centre in Manila in the Philippines.

“I have no doubt the irony of this will not be lost on the President. The President is a no nonsense guy who strongly defends the rights of his citizens. It seems a little bit disappointing to take further action for something I think could have been resolved quickly and easily at a local level and now it seems like it could become a much bigger issue at an international level, creating a rift between the governments of UK and Philippines. Perhaps there is still time for a positive outcome and this is still my main hope.”

A spokesman for local MP David Mundell, who is also Scottish Secretary, revealed that he had raised the issue directly with Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes.

He said: "Mr Mundell took the opportunity to brief the Minister ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and asked if she could have a look at the case afresh.

"He had explained the urgency of the situation in that the family and their guest were hoping to attend next month's Beltane Festival in Peebles."

The spokesman added that Mr Mundell's constituency office also followed up the conversation through the Home Office including a formal letter to the Minister.