Photo credit: www.bbc.com
High Court Rules Against Former Home Secretary Over Asylum Conditions
MDP Wethersfield, a former RAF base repurposed as an asylum reception center, can accommodate up to 580 individuals. Recently, a High Court judge determined that former Home Secretary Suella Braverman acted unlawfully in housing three asylum seekers at this facility.
The plaintiffs, who were residents of Wethersfield from July 2023 until February 2024, contended that they endured conditions akin to those of a prison. Justice Timothy Mould concluded that the government neglected to consider the specific experiences of the three men, which included histories of torture, mental health issues, and disabilities.
The government expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling for the Home Office on several points, emphasizing that the legal challenge was inherited from the previous Conservative administration. However, Justice Mould asserted that Braverman violated her duties under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 by failing to evaluate the “equalities implications” regarding their accommodation at Wethersfield. He described this oversight as a significant and unjustifiable lapse in fulfilling the public sector equality duty.
Initial placements of migrants at MDP Wethersfield began in July 2023, with the center’s capacity originally intended to accommodate as many as 1,700 individuals. Among the claimants, one identified as TG had been a victim of severe physical violence and trafficking, and suffered from disabilities as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Other claimants, named MN and HAA, similarly faced challenges stemming from their experiences of torture and trafficking, with HAA being noted as a “potentially vulnerable individual” struggling in a communal living environment.
A fourth asylum seeker’s claim was not upheld by the judge, who dismissed the case without granting further consideration.
Residents living in proximity to Wethersfield have previously staged protests against its use as an asylum center, initiating demonstrations back in July 2023. The facility’s classification as an asylum accommodation site was officially announced by the Conservative government in March 2023, alongside plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
Legal representatives for the asylum seekers indicated that their clients experienced a marked deterioration in mental health due to their living conditions. They noted, “The breaches demonstrate that the home secretary is not merely obliged to have a system in place that operates lawfully; she must also ensure lawful conduct in each individual circumstance.”
Emily Soothill from the law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn highlighted that individuals who have experienced torture or trafficking should not be placed at Wethersfield. She urged current Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to take the ruling into account and permanently close the center.
Maddie Harris from the Humans For Rights Network articulated concerns regarding the use of former military sites for housing asylum seekers, labeling it an inhumane approach to supporting those seeking safety.
A spokesperson for the Home Office maintained that the Wethersfield facility provides adequate accommodation for asylum seekers, aligning with the legal obligations of the government. They noted that decisions regarding the future of the site would be determined by Cooper in the near future, emphasizing that placement in the camp was done on a “no-choice” basis, ensuring that no individual was housed there unless their needs could be properly met.
Attempts to reach Braverman’s office for comment have yet to yield a response.
Source
www.bbc.com