Thread by @AdamWagner1

A really important new judgment on a 'hostile environment' policy. It made landlords into immigration enforcement officials by requiring them to seek ID documents from tenants. Court found it was racially discriminatory, coudn't be fixed doughtystreet.co.uk/news/landmark-…

Here are some key paras from the judgment:

All the evidence points to the scheme discriminating

The scheme *causes* the landlords to discriminate when they otherwise would not

Let's take that in: a government scheme causes people to treat people in a racist way

There is some margin of appreciate (i.e. leeway) for the govt but not much as it's racial discrimination

And the zinger

Here is the full judgment bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/…

This is proof - as strong as you could get really - that the hostile environment policy has increased racism and hasn't even helped control immigration (in the case of this policy anyway).

In ordinary political times this would be resignation material but, Brexit

I understand that the government have permission to appeal. Whether they will in fact proceed with the appeal is another question

One of the things I really like about this judgement is that it is both principled and evidenced. The two things that this policy were not!

Shows a human rights approach must be taken from the beginning, not in the breach

And the power of human rights laws to achieve justice

Well done and kudos to @JCWI_UK for making this happen. Proud also of my @DoughtyStPublic colleagues who were instrumental too