Home Office threatens boy, 7, with deportation Published duration 13 November 2013

image caption The letter said Jamie could be forcibly deported to Canada

The Home Office has written to a seven-year-old boy who was born in Canada to tell him he must leave the UK - despite the fact his mother is British.

Sara Leung, who has dual Canadian and British nationality, moved her family to Southport, Merseyside, in June 2012.

Southport MP John Pugh said asking Jamie to leave his family showed a "lack of humanity and common sense".

The Home Office said it did not receive the right evidence to support his application to stay.

In a letter addressed to Jamie, immigration officials wrote: "As you appear to have no alternative basis of stay in the United Kingdom you should now make arrangements to leave.

"If you fail to do so voluntarily your departure may be enforced."

'Completely horrified'

Ms Leung left Canada after splitting up with Jamie's father and moved to Germany with new partner Heiko Khelifi when Jamie was a toddler.

image caption Sarah Leung said she was "completely horrified" her son could be made to leave his family

The couple have a three-year-old son, Quinn, who was born in Germany, and an 11-month-old daughter Elisha, who was born after the family moved to Southport, close to relatives of Ms Leung.

Ms Leung said the letter from the Home Office arrived during her birthday celebrations and ruined her partner's planned marriage proposal.

She added: "I'm completely horrified that my son could be forcibly removed from me and taken out of the country in handcuffs; it makes me pretty sick."

Liberal Democrat MP Mr Pugh, who is helping the family fight the Home Office decision, said it was "surreal, odd and very, very unfortunate".

BBC reporter Andy Gill said he understood the Home Office had not seen any evidence of Jamie's relationship to Mr Khelifi, and Ms Leung was not mentioned in her son's application.

A Home Office spokesman said: "All applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with the EU rules.