"Arrogant" government slammed for "outrageous" plans to ship migrants into area

The government is coming under mounting pressure after its “outrageous” plans to ship in migrants to Gosport, with it blasted for its “arrogance” over the decision.

Gosport and Portsmouth councils, along with MPs, have called for an end to migrants crossing to Hampshire after a boat of 51 migrants was due to arrive in Gosport on Tuesday evening before being aborted following a furious backlash.

The government has now told The News there are “contingency plans to deal with small boat arrivals further along the coast” from the traditional landing location of Dover.

Angry protesters gathered in Gosport on Tuesday evening after news spread a migrant boat was set to arrive on the shore. It led to riot police, including officers from London, being drafted in to maintain order.

The dinghy never landed at the Gosport shore as Border Force vessels were hastily forced to intervene and transfer the asylum seekers via the Channel to Dover.

The illegal immigrants arrived in Dover at 12.30am after being at sea for 33 hours as the government was left with egg on its face after the abrupt change of plan. Local politicians and authorities had been unaware of the vessel being headed to Gosport for a pre-planned disembarkation.

Despite migrants not landing in Gosport - where coaches were waiting ready to take them to Kent for processing - tensions still flared in the area with six people arrested over disorder.

It follows the first ever illegal migrant crossing to Hampshire after migrants were brought ashore in Eastney on September 6 leading to a 10-hour protest before 120 migrants were eventually transferred by road to Dover. A number of protesters were arrested with some of those since being charged and appearing in court.

The fallout from the second crossing in the area this month has led to a united response from authorities and MPs.

Councillor Zoe Huggins, Gosport Borough Council leader, said: "It is outrageous that government can review arrangements like this without talking to the local council. We heard from local contacts that planning was happening and have asked the government for urgent conversations to find out more about their plans.

"We have seen in Eastney the issue with using a location with one road in and out. I had already written to the government highlighting this issue with Gosport being a peninsula. Not only have they ignored that, they have chosen a site located on a peninsula at the end of the Gosport peninsula, compounding the problem.”

She then added: "We have been crystal clear with the government that Gosport and the surrounding area are totally unsuitable places to bring migrant boats ashore. The events of yesterday demonstrate this clearly and the government's actions created unnecessary disruption and concern for local residents, businesses and our community.

"We told the government the boat should be taken to Dover where there are established facilities, and after lots of pressure locally that is thankfully what happened. But Gosport should not have had to face this disruption and uncertainty before ministers listen and take our concerns seriously.

"We repeat the message in our letter to the Government that migrant boat landings should not take place in Gosport.

"I would like to thank emergency services for responding so professionally in very difficult circumstances."

MP Caroline Dinenage released a statement on Facebook at 7pm notifying constituents that Border Force had “intercepted the small boat that was reported as crossing the Channel” and was “taking those on board to Dover by water.” This followed a full day of preparations by Border Force and emergency services in and around Fort Blockhouse to prepare for the disembarkation of the migrant vessel, despite repeated warnings by key local stakeholders against the plans.

Now she has written to the Home Secretary to protest against what she describes as “the spectacular arrogance and cloth-eared ignorance of the Home Office”.

Her letter asks the Home Secretary 10 questions about the government’s preparation for and response to long distance Channel crossings by mega-dinghies that land in Hampshire, including whether there were plans to reimburse Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary for the costs of policing the protests.

She said: “When I met the Borders Minister last week, I insisted that the Home Office should ensure that any boats intercepted in the Channel are taken directly to Dover by water, rather than brought into Portsmouth Harbour. I repeated that request in writing to the Home Secretary.

“It was therefore incredibly disappointing to discover through whispers and rumours that the government was once again considering bringing a boat into Portsmouth Harbour.”

Caroline called for a full review by the government and for a quick response to her letter. “The people of Gosport deserve better than to find out through rumours that a major Home Office operation is being prepared on their doorstep, while their emergency services are mobilised without adequate local communication or consideration of the consequences,” she added.

A government spokesperson, addressing the backlash, said: “The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.”

The government said it has now established “contingency plans to deal with small boat arrivals further along the coast” but “not be commenting further on operational processes or contingency arrangements”.

Individuals will otherwise be processed as normal in short term holding facilities in Kent, where they will undergo stringent health, security and biometric checks.

Crime commissioner Donna Jones raised concerns over the amount of money the protests cost. She said her role is to ensure an “effective and efficient police service” yet “£250,000 has come out of my budget in the last 15 days on the additional fallout from uncontrolled immigration into this country”.

Ms Jones said she was “very concerned” by migration coming to the region and added: “I think there’s more to come.”

Portsmouth City Council and Portsmouth International Port have also joined the calls to stop migration to the area. In a letter they told the government: “We write formally, and in the strongest possible terms, to set out Portsmouth City Council’s position that Portsmouth International Port is wholly unsuitable for use as a disembarkation point for individuals arriving in the United Kingdom following migrant small boat crossings.”

Meanwhile, Portsmouth MPs Amanda Martin and Stephen Morgan said they have “continued to take action to support our city’s communities, liaising with public services and taking concerns to Westminster”.

They said in a joint statement: “This has included a meeting with the Minister for Border Security, with Border Force, the Home Office and officials across Government in recent days. That liaison has continued in the past 24 hours.

“The minister has informed us that lessons are being learnt and that the Home Office and Border Security Command are working hard to avoid a repeat of the disruption and disorder experienced earlier this month in Portsmouth while ensuring the Government can continue to meet its maritime safety obligations. Robust contingency plans are essential to ensure security and cooperation between authorities.”