"In 1980, I helped establish the Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers in London to tackle injustices in their living and working conditions. Soon domestic workers of all nationalities were coming to our centre having escaped from their employers. They had no passport, no money, sometimes having only the clothes they were wearing. All of them had suffered abuse, always psychological and very often physical as well. In practical terms they had been living in conditions of slavery, working 18-20 hours a day for no pay.

"After 10 long years of campaigning, the organisations set up to support migrant workers achieved victory. The government fulfilled the promise they had made in opposition changing the legislation to give migrant domestic workers their proper status as workers. It is shocking that this same government is about to deprive these people of the rights they have gained. Future migrant domestic workers will be given a 'business visitor's' visa, tying them to their employer, with a maximum stay of six months thereby denying them access to redress. This is simply another form of slavery under the guise of Making Migration Work for Britain."