Councillors ask for confirmation from the government that no more migrants will come ashore in Gosport
Councillors will vote on a cross-party motion calling for answers
Councillors have proposed a cross-party motion to recognise that Gosport is “not a suitable location for a routine or planned disembarkation point” of small boats.
The motion, proposed by Councillor David Marshall of Reform UK and seconded by Conservative councillor Robbie Beech, will be put to Gosport Borough Council at a meeting on October 14.
A previous meeting to discuss small boat landings in Gosport, which was due to be held on September 22, was cancelled after rumours spread that migrants would be landing in Haslar Marina, causing a protest to form along Haslar Road despite no boats arriving.
The motion requests confirmation from the Home Office that Fort Blockhouse, where 149 migrants landed on October 4, “is not being considered as a site for the disembarkation, reception or processing of people arriving following irregular small-boat crossings”.
If passed, the council will seek clarification from the Government about its intentions for the site and its future usage.
The motion also requests an urgent response from the Home Secretary to letters sent by council leader Zoe Huggins on September 17 and 24, which have yet to be answered.
The motion also urges the council to “unequivocally condemn violence, intimidation and criminal damage from all sides of the political spectrum, especially when it places emergency service personnel, residents or the wider public at risk”. This follows 12 people being arrested at an anti-migrant protest on October 4 in response to the boat landings.
If the motion is passed, the council would also “place on record its thanks to the RNLI, Coastguard, police, fire, ambulance and all other emergency and maritime rescue organisations, volunteers and individuals who respond to maritime emergencies and work to protect life.”
In a social media post, Councillor David Marshall said : “Following the cancellation of the Extraordinary Council Meeting scheduled for 22 September, we as a council have continued to raise concerns, ask questions and seek answers from the Home Office about the use of Gosport sites and the impact on our community.
“Despite repeated attempts to engage with the Home Secretary, we still believe Gosport deserves clearer answers and meaningful engagement from Government.
“That is why we have been working cross-party with the Conservatives to bring forward a Full Council Motion that reflects the concerns of our residents and sets out the action we believe is needed.”
You can see the full motion to be put forward here.