Army bases, disused ferries possible fate of asylum seekers in UK

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Telegraph
25 Mar 21:16
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At a cost of 6.8 million pounds a day, more than 5,000 asylum seekers are being housed in hotels, according to The Telegraph.

Stand Up To Racism activists outside the High Court of Justice for England and Wales in London, December 19, 2022 (AP)

The UK government could force asylum seekers to move out of hotels and be placed in military bases or disused ferries as per government plans that could be announced next week, according to reports.

The Telegraph first reported the proposals, which have not been denied by government sources.

Previous proposals involving the use of holiday camps and student halls for asylum seekers are unlikely to be brought into use.

“We have always been upfront about the unprecedented pressure being placed on our asylum system, brought about by a significant increase in dangerous and illegal journeys into the country,” a Home Office spokesperson said. “We continue to work across government and with local authorities to identify a range of accommodation options.”

A meeting this week near the Lincolnshire airbase heard that about 1,500 asylum seekers could be housed in accommodation, including temporary cabins on the former runway.

Former airbases are already being used to process and house asylum seekers. Even the former RAF Manston in Kent was converted into an asylum processing center.

At a cost of 6.8 million pounds a day, more than 5,000 asylum seekers are being housed in hotels, according to the Telegraph.

Far-right activists have carried out several protests at hotels housing asylum seekers. A police van was set on fire in Knowsley, Merseyside, during a protest in February.

Using ferries as a housing option was previously suggested. The Times reported in November that Home Secretary Suella Braverman told officials to find sites that could take asylum seekers, and disused cruise ships were one of the options.

The UK government set out details of a new law barring the entry of asylum seekers arriving in small boats across the Channel; a proposal some charities say could be impractical and criminalize the efforts of thousands of refugees.

The UK struck a £500m deal with France earlier this month to fund a detention center in northern France.

This is one of the policies designed to prevent asylum seekers from arriving on small boats.