On Monday, 12 February, Stephen talked to The Guardian about the still-unresolved English Test Scandal, when the Home Office revoked the visas of 35,000 overseas students based on allegations of cheating in the Home Office-approved English language test.
In 2014, the BBC revealed cheating in English language tests that overseas students are required to take to renew their visas. The Home Office responded by revoking the visas of 35,000 students, claiming that 97% of students who sat the tests between 2011 and 2014 had cheated. The decision resulted in 2,500 students being deported and around 7,200 leaving the country.
However, campaigners believe many students were wrongfully accused. The English Test Service initially offered no evidence against the students accused. Around 3,600 student had the allegation reversed after appealing to an immigration tribunal.
“The figure of 97% seemed absurd,” Stephen explained in the interview, “something had gone very badly wrong.”
Stephen has campaigned on the issue since 2015, when distressed constituents began raising their problems in his weekly surgery. Stephen told The Guardian of one student whose parents put their life savings into his studies. When he was accused of cheating, he could not bear the shame of going home.
“At the moment the Home Office is still in full denial, but once the truth is fully understood I find it difficult to see how applications for compensation can be avoided,” Stephen said.