Two groups from Manston migrant centre in Kent left stranded at London Victoria station, says Chris Philp
Two groups of people who had crossed the Channel in small boats were left stranded in London after a “misunderstanding” with Home Office officials, a minister has confirmed.
Chris Philp, the policing minister, claimed the groups had told immigration officials “they had addresses to go to, so friends and family, and that turned out subsequently not to be the case”.
Sky News spoke to an asylum seeker on Thursday who said he was among one group of 45 migrants removed from Manston migration centre in Kent and taken to Victoria coach station, but not told where to go next by officials.
No fresh Stormont elections in December, says NI secretary – politics live
Mr Philp told Sky News there had been a “misunderstanding”, adding: “How that misunderstanding arose? Maybe it was lost in translation, I don’t know. But clearly, they have now all been looked after.”
But the former independent inspector of borders and immigration, John Vine, said the Home Office had “an obligation to know where people are” so should be checking people’s identity, and have an address for where they are going/where they can be reached.
“It beggars belief that the Home Office hasn’t been able to get their act together to make provision, proper provision, for the care of people who arrive and also have… tried and tested systems in place for redistributing people to good accommodation,” he told Sky News.
Mr Philp also insisted Manston was now legally compliant after court action was launched against the Home Office over conditions at the site.
In the past week the overcrowded centre has become a symbol of the “broken” asylum system the government is under increasing pressure to fix.
Manston is designed to hold 1,600 people for a matter of days but has been used to house around 3,500 people for weeks – with the prime minister’s spokesman today confirming the site was holding 2,600 people, still way above its capacity.
There have also been outbreaks of MRSA and diphtheria.
The problems amount to a “breach of humane conditions”, Sir Roger Gale, the senior Tory MP, has said.
As a result, a judicial review was being brought forward, Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, told Sky News on Wednesday.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Migrant from Manston left stranded
‘Bit of a cheek’
This morning Mr Philp said significant improvements have been made, adding: “I don’t accept the premise that it’s not legally compliant today. A lot of changes have been made even in the last few days.”
He admitted there was a “huge challenge” and “radical action” was needed, saying: “About 40,000 people have illegally entered the UK so far this year on small boats and that is a huge operational challenge, it’s very, very hard to deal with that.
“These journeys are totally unnecessary because France obviously is a safe country with a well-functioning asylum system.
“These journeys don’t need to be made. No one is fleeing war in France. These journeys should not be getting made in the first place.”
But the legal director of charity Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), Pierre Makhlouf, said: “Keeping people in appalling conditions, dumping people on the streets without support and withholding information on their right to access legal rights is an inhuman approach towards those in need of compassion, and results in a breach of the legal standards the UK has set for itself.”
After telling Sky News the UK had been “very generous to people who are in genuine need”, Mr Philp later told Times Radio it was “a bit of a cheek” for people entering the country illegally to complain about conditions.
Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said the remark revealed “a shocking and callous complacency over the disaster unfolding at Manston”.
He added: “It is unbelievable that as we hear reports of sexual assaults, disease, and chronic overcrowding, his response is to accuse those who complain of ‘cheek’.”
Chris Philp said the UK was generous to those in need
Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, said the entire approach from government towards the issue “lacks any sense of a basic competence or compassion”.
He told Sky News they needed to drop the “expensive gimmicks” such as sending people to Rwanda and focus on the root causes, as well as tackling the backlog of asylum cases.
‘Councils completely cut out’
ATory MP has attacked the Home Office for its failure to work with councils when finding accommodation for those coming over on small boats.
Council chiefs in Kent have already warned the county has been pushed to “breaking point” by the migrant crisis, and have written to the home secretary, urging her to stop using the county as an “easy fix”.
North Devon MP Selaine Saxby told Sky News her own council had been “completely cut out of the decision-making process” over housing people at a hotel in Ilfracombe.
She added: “I think where the whole process seems to be going wrong is that councils aren’t being involved in these decisions and the local councils are well placed to know where we can accommodate people safely and securely, and work with their local communities.
“That doesn’t seem to be happening at all.”
A man has been arrested by police investigating a “significant” wildfire that triggered a major incident in Northern Ireland.
More than 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were deployed on Saturday to Sandbank Road, Hilltown, to tackle the blaze which is believed to have been caused deliberately, fire chiefs said.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire had a front of approximately two miles “including a large area of forestry close to property”.
It was extinguished at 2.53am on Sunday and the major incident status lifted, the NIFRS said.
“The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate,” chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Sunday that a 25-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, and non-related driving offences”.
“He remains in custody at this time as enquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the fire,” the force added.
The wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown. Pic: Sky Watch NI
More than 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire. Pic: Sky Watch NI
Various fires erupted across England this week amid uncharacteristically warm and dry conditions for the time of year.
On Saturday, helicopters were deployed to tackle Scotland’s fourth wildfire this week, with police saying a blaze “which started in the Newton Stewart area has spread northwards and is expected to reach the Loch Doon area of East Ayrshire around 12am on Sunday”.
Police Scotland added: “As a precautionary measure members of the public are asked to avoid the Loch Doon area and anyone who may be camping in the area is advised to leave.”
Moors Valley Country Park blackened by fires this week
Elsewhere in England, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were assisting the fire service with temporary road closures on the A30 in the Bolventor area as they tackle “a number of fires” on moorland.
In Dorset, Moors Valley Country Park was forced to close after multiple wildfires broke out there on Wednesday.
Read more from Sky News:
Zelenskyy makes dig at US over its response to Russian attack
What hopes are there for the future of Prince Harry’s charity?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Wildfires spread across nature reserve
Separate incidents were then reported at Upton Heath in Poole on Wednesday, and nearby Canford Heath in the early hours of Thursday.
Friday was officially the warmest day of the year so far – with temperatures in the south of England reaching 23C (73.4F) – the highest since 21 September last year, according to the Met Office.
The weather conditions triggered a “severe” wildfire rating for parts of the UK on Tuesday.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway