Crowborough Shield asylum accommodation bid ejected | UK | News
A residents’ group has lost its bid to appeal to the High Court after the Home Office announced its proposal to use a military training camp as accommodation for asylum seekers. Crowborough Shield, a social interest company, took legal action against the Government after it said in October it was considering housing up to 540 men at the facility in East Sussex.
The Home Office decided to implement the plan in January, with 27 men being housed at the camp last month despite protests in the town and opposition from Wealden District Council. In Friday’s ruling, Mr Justice Mold said the challenge was “indeed premature” as there was “no clearly established policy for the use of the camp as accommodation for asylum seekers” at the time the legal action was taken.
He noted that the challenge was “based on a number of assumptions and is significantly speculative,” adding that the group was “jumping the gun.”
But he added that January’s decision was open to legal challenge “at least in principle”.
He said: “The filing of judicial review proceedings against the actual decision will not cause any real harm to the claimant or other potential claimants.”
Liam Tomsett, 44, lives in the neighboring town and is co-leader of the group Crowborough Says No. After the decision, he said: “I am disappointed but not surprised. The organization has once again deceived the public.”
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“I think it’s time to step it up. More people will show up in the beginning.” [following the ruling] “Then it will go back to the core number of about 2,000.”
Describing his community as “very good-natured” and “very commendable”, he added: “There has been no farming for 14 weeks. I don’t see why that would happen now.”
Before the verdict, Mr Tomsett said: “I’m hopeful but I don’t trust the British judicial system, especially when it comes to the Home Office. It feels like the end of democracy in this Labor Government. Nobody voted for this.”
“When it comes to democracy, you have to listen to the majority of people, whether you like it or not. This is a crazy situation where we’re seeing people breaking into the country.”
“Can you imagine the opposite? Can you imagine going to France without your passport?”
