‘Spectacular arrogance’ - Caroline Dinenage MP criticises Home Office following Gosport migrant protest

The MP for Gosport has written a letter to the Home Secretary criticising the attempts to offload migrants intercepted in the Channel in her constituency.

Dame Caroline Dinenage fiercely criticised the Home Office following the protests in Gosport on Tuesday, September 22 which took place after it was revealed it was “increasingly likely” that the migrants rescued from the sea would be dropped in the Portsmouth area.

The migrants were eventually taken by Border Force to Dover but emergency services from the local area and beyond were deployed to Gosport with Haslar Marina blocked off.

The Conservative MP has protested against what she describes as the “spectacular arrogance and cloth eared ignorance of the Home Office” and called for Hampshire police to be reimbursed after six people were arrested at the protest against the landing.

Writing in the letter, Caroline said: “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.”

Calling for a full review into the incident, the letter asked 10 questions of the Home Secretary which can be found below:

• When were Ministers and senior Home Office officials first made aware that this vessel was likely to arrive off the central south coast, and when was the first operational briefing held?
• Who took the decision to identify Gosport, and specifically Fort Blockhouse, as a potential disembarkation point, and what risk assessment or operational assessment was undertaken before that decision was made?
• Why was Gosport continued to be considered as the initial destination despite the repeated and explicit representations from myself, Gosport Borough Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner about its unsuitability?
• What consideration was given to the impact on local residents, businesses, roads, emergency services and policing resources before Gosport was identified as a potential landing point?
• What was the total cost of yesterday’s deployment of police, ambulance, Border Force and other emergency-service resources, including any costs incurred by services outside Hampshire?
• Will the Home Office reimburse Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, the ambulance service and any other public bodies for the additional costs incurred as a direct result of this operation?
• Why was the decision to take the passengers to Dover by sea not made significantly earlier, particularly when this was precisely the course of action requested by local representatives in advance?
• At what point was the decision made to abandon the proposed Gosport landing, who authorised that decision, and what information or change in circumstances led to it?
• What assessment has the Home Office now made of the suitability of Fort Blockhouse and Portsmouth Harbour for future migrant boat disembarkations, in light of yesterday’s events and the concerns raised repeatedly beforehand?
• Will you give me an unequivocal assurance that Gosport will not be used as a disembarkation location for future migrant boat arrivals without prior consultation with me and the relevant local authorities and emergency services?