G4S is the UK's biggest private security company, with its government contracts alone worth over £600 million. Responsible for security services, managing detention centres, prisons, and 675 court and police station holding cells, G4S have also just been granted the £100 million contract for providing 10,000 security guards for the upcoming olympics.

Whilst G4S still seem to be government favourites, their record is far from spotless. The firm lost their previous 'forcible deportation' contract last September after receiving 773 complaints of abuse – both verbal and physical. The final straw came with the death of Jimmy Mubenga in October 2010, an Angolan asylum seeker who died as a result of his forced deportation by G4S guards. Two of the guards are on bail facing criminal charges, whilst G4S is still waiting to hear whether they are to face corporate manslaughter charges.

Now, asylum seekers in Yorkshire and Humberside are expected to accept this multi-national, money-hungry, security company as their landlords.

Wednesday, 13 June 2012

EDM on G4S

Jeremy Corbyn has introduced a new Early Day Motion (Number 182) asking the Government to review its procurement procedures to stop G4S from being awarded new contracts. Ask your local MP to support Jeremy's motion!

Jeremy Corbyn MP:  EDM Number 182: G4S
That this House notes the controversy surrounding the private security company G4S which is providing security for the London 2012 Olympic Games; further notes the concerns of a broad based campaign of non-governmental organisations, MEPs, MPs and activists who speak out against it; further notes the recent loss of contracts including one to deport people from the UK in 2011 and another to secure the buildings of the European Parliament and G4S's involvement in providing equipment to Israeli prisons in which Palestinian prisoners (both adult and children) are illegally transferred, detained and mistreated; and calls on the Government to review its procurement procedures to ensure that no government contracts are ever awarded to companies with a questionable human rights track record.

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