In a move that has sparked outrage among local residents, the Home Office has used emergency powers to secretly transfer a group of 27 small boat migrants into the Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex. The former military site, which was previously used to train Army and RAF cadets, as well as police officers and firefighters, will now become home to around 540 asylum seekers.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has condemned the decision, warning that the illegal immigrants “pose a threat to local communities up and down the country” and describing it as “another day of shame” for the Labour government. Meanwhile, Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, has vowed to continue opening “site after site” to house migrants as part of the government’s efforts to close asylum hotels.
Kim Bailey, the chair of the Crowborough Shield residents’ association, has criticised the lack of engagement with the local community, describing the decision as “reckless” and “unsafe”. She argued that the area around the barracks lacks the necessary infrastructure and facilities to cope with an influx of hundreds of male migrants.
Phill Straker, a local resident whose home backs onto the Crowborough Training Camp, expressed concerns about the potential for migrants to wander freely through his garden, while Karen Creed, another Crowborough resident, said she now feels worried for her safety as a woman.
The decision has also drawn criticism from the Home Affairs Committee, with its chair, Dame Karen Bradley, stating that the Home Office has yet to demonstrate a credible plan for getting out of asylum hotels and delivering suitable alternative accommodation while considering the impact on local areas.
Despite the backlash, the Home Secretary has vowed to continue her efforts to close asylum hotels, stating that illegal migration has been “placing immense pressure on communities” and that Crowborough is “just the start” of her plans to open site after site until every asylum hotel is closed and returned to local communities.
