Five members of a group of 32 Iraqi asylum seekers due to be deported today have won court orders allowing them temporary leave to remain in the UK.

A spokeswoman for the Refugee Legal Centre said the High Court has granted injunctions against deportation pending judicial review applications.

"We fear that had all 32 been given meaningful access to representation, then many more would not be on the flight," she added.

But the Home Office stressed that all those being deported had their asylum claims properly dealt with and dismissed.

"It is important for the integrity of our asylum system that any individual who is found not to be in need of international protection should be expected to lave the UK," said a Home Office spokesman.

"Voluntary returns are preferable to enforced returns but if people do not leave voluntarily, we will enforce their return. Iraq is no different in this regard," he added.

Last November, an attempt to deport more than 70 Iraqi Kurds ended with only 20 being flown home after a series of last minute legal challenges.

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