Not in my constituency, says Cleverly
THE Foreign Secretary has defended his opposition to Home Office proposals to build a new migrant detention centre on a former RAF base in his constituency.
The base at Wethersfield in North Essex, currently used by the Ministry of Defence Police, is earmarked to hold 1,500 migrants in the face of significant local opposition.
Earlier this week James Cleverly, who is both Foreign Secretary and the local MP, backed arguments from council leaders and residents’ groups that the site ‘wasn’t appropriate for asylum accommodation’ due to its remote location and lack of surrounding infrastructure.
Yesterday the MP for Braintree, in Paris with Rishi Sunak to push the French government to intensify efforts to stop migrants crossing the Channel, said it was ‘absolutely right’ to make his thoughts known to the Home Office.
The Home Office refused to comment on individual proposals, but a spokesman said: ‘We are working across government and with local authorities to look at a range of options and sites, all of which will be in line with building regulations and health and safety.’