Amber Rudd apologises for not being aware of 'specific' deportation targets amid mounting calls for her to quit

She says she got the memo - but did not see it

Amber Rudd has apologised for the immigration scandal engulfing the Home Office and insisted she did not know about specific deportation targets, in a tweet that stemmed mounting speculation she is to resign.

The home secretary admitted documents detailing such targets were sent to her office – despite previously telling Parliament she was not aware they were used.

However, in a series of messages posted late on Friday, she claimed she did not personally see the memo.

It comes in the wake of the Windrush scandal, in which it emerged some migrants from Commonwealth Caribbean countries, who settled in the UK legally, had been declared illegal immigrants, along with their relatives.

Ms Rudd said: "I will be making a statement in the House of Commons on Monday in response to legitimate questions that have arisen on targets and illegal migration.

"I wasn't aware of specific removal targets. I accept I should have been and I'm sorry that I wasn't.

"I didn't see the leaked document, although it was copied to my office as many documents are.

“As Home Secretary I will work to ensure that our immigration policy is fair and humane.”

The response comes after an explosive six-page memo was leaked to The Guardian showing the Home Office had set a “target of achieving 12,800 enforced returns in 2017-18" and "we have exceeded our target of assisted returns".

It went on to say that progress had been made on ensuring a "10 per cent increased performance on enforced returns, which we promised the Home Secretary earlier this year".

Both Ms Rudd and Brandon Lewis, the then immigration minister, were copied into the memo, according to the newspaper.

The document directly contradicted evidence Ms Rudd gave to the home affairs select committee on Wednesday in which she insisted the Home Office did not have targets for removals.

It seems unlikely the new tweets will satisfy political opponents who have already called for her resignation for apparently misleading parliament.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbot said: "Amber Rudd is hanging by a thread to shield the Prime Minister from her responsibilities as the initial architect of this cruel and callous approach to migration, which resulted in the Windrush scandal.

"She failed to read crucial documents which meant she wasn't aware of the removal targets that have led to people's lives being ruined.

"Another apology is not enough, she should take responsibility for chaos in the Home Office and resign."