UK Inquiry Questions Ministers Over Overcrowded Migrant Centre

An inquiry into the conditions at the Manston migrant reception centre in Kent has raised "very serious questions" for ministers in the former Conservative government, including two home secretaries and potentially former prime ministers. The centre became severely overcrowded in November 2022, holding around 4,000 people at the peak of the small boats crisis, far exceeding its design capacity of 1,000.

Home Office officials were aware that the conditions were unlawful and that children were at risk of harm, but lacked an alternative plan for accommodating the detainees, the inquiry heard on Friday. This overcrowding occurred while the government was pursuing its plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Evidence presented indicated that former Home Secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman were involved in decisions made at the time, with Number 10 also aware of the situation. The Manston centre, a former military site, was converted into an emergency holding facility in early 2022 as Channel crossings increased. It was intended for short stays of no more than 24 hours.

By November 2022, thousands of people were sleeping in marquees. Doctors identified cases of diphtheria at the centre, and tragically, a 31-year-old Iraqi detainee, Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, died on November 19 after being admitted to hospital with suspected diphtheria. He had been handcuffed until shortly before his death, a detail the inquiry plans to examine separately.

Concerns about sanitation and child welfare were significant, with reports of 81 families sharing a single toilet and children enduring traumatic conditions. Some detainees did not receive adequate medical care, with one individual using a plastic wrapper as a wound dressing. The detention of children in such circumstances was noted as a particular concern, given the limited legal provisions for detaining minors in England.

One senior Home Office official described the conditions as the worst he had witnessed in 20 years, attributing the situation to "political decisions" that placed officials and suppliers in an "impossible position." Reports also emerged of alleged racism, hostility, and aggression from some staff towards detainees.

The inquiry is set to delve deeper into the actions and decisions of former Home Secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman. Braverman's legal representative stated that Number 10 was aware of the Manston situation and that a pause on using hotels contributed to the overcrowding. The inquiry also noted "prolonged periods of disengagement" from immigration minister Robert Jenrick in late 2022.

The possibility of former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson or Rishi Sunak being asked to provide evidence is yet to be determined. The inquiry team is continuing to gather evidence, with dates for future hearings to be announced.