Migrants ‘smuggled at night’ into UK military base given own GP | UK | News
Hundreds of male migrants housed at a former army camp in East Sussex will be given their own GP, according to reports. The first asylum seekers moved this week to Crowborough Training Camp, which was handed over by the Ministry of Defense to the Home Office last year and has capacity for up to 526 people.
Residents have been protesting against the plans every weekend since October and the local council said it would “continue to seek legal advice” on using the base as an alternative to migrant hotels. The Home Office said each asylum seeker would be registered with an on-site GP to ease the strain on local infrastructure, but the move is likely to spark fresh criticism about the premium service offered to residents during their three-month stay.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “This is another day of shame for the Labor government. The site used to train 6,000 army and RAF cadets each year, as well as police and firefighters. They have now all been kicked out for housing illegal immigrants.”
Mr Philp added: “Housing illegal immigrants costs £4bn a year and they pose a threat to local communities up and down the country. We have seen hundreds of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in shelters, including rape, sexual assault and even murder. Women and children in Crowborough will now also be exposed to these risks.”
Local campaigner Kim Bailey said: “We will, with our legal team, consider the possibility of obtaining an injunction to prevent occupation (or future) occupation of the site and, in any event, we will proceed with our judicial review, which the Home Secretary has shamefully failed to attend properly.”
Other residents criticized authorities for “kidnapping” the first group of migrants “under the guise of darkness”.
Eddie Fahey told Times: “It’s a shame that we’re treated like this. It’s a shame that our legitimate concerns are ignored.”
The latest Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers temporarily housed in hotels rose by 13% to 36,273 at the end of September.
Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood said: “Illegal immigration puts huge pressure on communities.
“That’s why we’re removing the incentives that attract illegal immigrants to the UK and closing the asylum hotels that disrupt communities.
“Crowborough is just the beginning. I’ll cover every place until all the shelter hotels are closed and returned to local communities.”
Crowborough accommodation has 24/7 security with CCTV and strict sign-in processes for residents, according to the Home Office.
They will also have completed both health and police checks before arriving at the base.
