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Suella Braverman accused of inflammatory language over 'invasion' comment We must be careful with language on immigration, minister says
(about 2 hours later)
Braverman: "There are some people who would prefer to be rid of me... let them try" Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said politicians must be careful with language after the home secretary claimed southern England was facing an "invasion" of illegal migrants.
Braverman: "There are some people who would prefer to be rid of me... let them try" Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 4's Today: "It's not a phrase I've used."
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of using inflammatory language about migrants, after telling MPs she wanted to stop "the invasion". But he said his boss Suella Braverman was right to be straight with the public about the "sheer scale" of illegal migration.
In a heated Commons debate, she promised to fix the "hopelessly lax" asylum system, and denied blocking the use of hotels to ease acute pressure on the Manston migrant centre in Kent. He said "more radical options" were needed to deal with the "crisis".
Labour's Yvette Cooper condemned her remarks, and questioned her position. Ms Braverman is under pressure to deal with overcrowding at the Manston asylum processing centre in Kent, which has reportedly led to outbreaks of disease and violence.
A report from a visit in July found the centre had considerably improved.
But since then, the chief inspector of prisons suggested the current situation had "significantly deteriorated".
Charlie Taylor said he was planning a "swift return" to Manston after "a number of credible sources", including other watchdogs, suggested the situation at the centre had become much worse.
Inspectors found the Manston centre had been well-equipped and was being professionally run in July - but said they still had some significant concerns.
Mr Taylor also said the report revealed a number of "risks" linked to the facilities.
On Monday, Ms Braverman pledged to fix the UK's "broken" asylum system and defied opposition calls for her resignation.
She sparked some MPs' fury when she said her policies were designed to repel an "invasion" on the south coast.
Ms Braverman described the asylum system as "hopelessly lax" and said some wanted to "be rid" of her because she was determined to fix it.
Labour accused her of being unfit for office and condemned her remarks.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said decision-making at the Home Office had "collapsed" on Ms Braverman's watch and asked how "anyone is supposed to have confidence" in her.
In a tweet, Ms Cooper said: "No home secretary who was serious about public safety or national security would use highly inflammatory language on the day after a dangerous petrol bomb attack on a Dover initial processing centre."
Some 4,000 people are being held at the Manston processing centre, which is only designed to accommodate 1,600 people on a temporary basis.
Hundreds of people were moved there on Sunday after a man threw firebombs at a separate immigration centre in Dover. He was later found dead nearby.
Braverman was warned about migrant overcrowdingBraverman was warned about migrant overcrowding
Why are there problems at Manston migrant centre?
How many migrants cross the Channel in small boats?How many migrants cross the Channel in small boats?
Manston opened as a processing centre in February 2022, for the growing number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats and people are only supposed to be kept there for 24 hours for security and identity checks. In a Commons statement, she rejected claims she had deliberately blocked the use of hotels to ease the pressure on Manston and promised to fix the "hopelessly lax" asylum system.
Some 4,000 people are being held at the former RAF base which is only designed to accommodate 1,600 people on a temporary basis.
Hundreds of people were moved there on Sunday after a man threw firebombs at a separate immigration centre in Dover. He was later found dead nearby.
A report from a visit in July found the centre had considerably improved but still identified issues such as a lack of beds and no access to fresh air or exercise.
Since then, the chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, said the situation had "significantly deteriorated".
Ms Braverman warned in her statement about using "inflammatory language" about illegal immigration but she has been attacked by refugee charities for using the word "invasion" to describe the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats.
The Refugee Council said: "To describe the serious and complex situation created by the asylum crisis as an 'invasion' is appalling, wrong and dangerous.
"These are men, women and children fleeing war, persecution and conflict."
Braverman: "There are some people who would prefer to be rid of me... let them try"
Braverman: "There are some people who would prefer to be rid of me... let them try"
Asked on Today if Ms Braverman had been wrong to use the word, Mr Jenrick said: "I think in this job you do have to use your language carefully but you also have to accept that many millions of people across this country are rightfully extremely concerned about this issue and we mustn't diminish that.
"It's not a phrase that I've used but I do understand the need to be straightforward with the general public about the challenge that we as ministers face."
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Jenrick said conditions at Manston were "not as we would want them to be" and ministers needed to "ensure it returns to a well-run, compassionate, humane site".
He blamed the "sheer number of migrants who have crossed the Channel in recent weeks" for putting "immense pressure" on the system.
Manston opened as a processing centre in February 2022 for the growing number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats. People are only supposed to be kept there for 24 hours for security and identity checks.
They are then meant to be moved into the Home Office's asylum accommodation system, which often means a hotel.They are then meant to be moved into the Home Office's asylum accommodation system, which often means a hotel.
When the chief inspector of immigration visited last week, he found some people had been there for over a month. That included one family who had been there for 32 days, sleeping on mats in a marquee.When the chief inspector of immigration visited last week, he found some people had been there for over a month. That included one family who had been there for 32 days, sleeping on mats in a marquee.
Ms Braverman has also been accused of ignoring legal advice to procure more accommodation for migrants amid warnings that the centre was in danger of becoming dangerously overcrowded.
Sources have told the BBC the home secretary was warned by officials the government was acting outside the law by failing to provide alternative accommodation.Sources have told the BBC the home secretary was warned by officials the government was acting outside the law by failing to provide alternative accommodation.
In a bullish statement in Parliament, Ms Braverman said "I have never ignored legal advice" by keeping people detained at Manston for longer than necessary. Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said decision-making at the Home Office had "collapsed" on Ms Braverman's watch and asked how "anyone is supposed to have confidence" in her.
Responding to questioning by Ms Cooper, Ms Braverman said on no occasion did she block hotels or "veto advice to procure extra and emergency accommodation". In a tweet, Ms Cooper said: "No home secretary who was serious about public safety or national security would use highly inflammatory language on the day after a dangerous petrol bomb attack on a Dover initial processing centre."
She claimed "on my watch" the use of 30 new hotels had been agreed since 6 September and she had "worked hard to find alternative accommodation to relieve the pressure at Manston".
Ms Braverman said her policies of co-operating with French authorities and sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda would curb Channel crossings, calling the current system "broken" and illegal migration "out of control".
The Manston facility (pictured here) is designed to accommodate 1,600 people on a temporary basis
Following an inspection by the prison service in July, the report found the management and treatment of arriving migrants at the centre had considerably improved.
However, among their findings were a lack of beds and no access to fresh air or exercise. The report said some toilet doors did not close fully and translation services were not always used.
A spokesperson for the Home Office welcomed the report, and said officials "continue to work hard to resolve the current pressures at Manston as an urgent priority".
But the chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday that "the home office and and contractors need to get a grip".
He called on officials to "make suitable provisions so people can be moved off site as quickly as possible and housed in humane and decent conditions".
Ms Braverman's description of small boats crossing the Channel as an "invasion" drew condemnation, with one refugee charity calling her comments "indefensible".
In her statement, Ms Braverman warned against using "inflammatory language" and spoke of a "witch hunt" against her, as she attempted to rally support among Tory MPs.
"I'm determined to do whatever it takes," she went on. "That is why I'm in government. That's why some people would prefer to be rid of me."
She then paused as her statement was interrupted by heckles from opposition MPs, before adding: "Let them try."
A record number of migrants have arrived in the UK on small boats this year, with nearly 1,000 making the crossing on Saturday and a further 468 crossing on Sunday.A record number of migrants have arrived in the UK on small boats this year, with nearly 1,000 making the crossing on Saturday and a further 468 crossing on Sunday.
The government has said in the year ending June 2022, there were 63,089 asylum applications, 77% more than in 2019.The government has said in the year ending June 2022, there were 63,089 asylum applications, 77% more than in 2019.
The UK is spending almost £7m a day on hotels for asylum seekers - and the cost is likely to rise, MPs heard last week.The UK is spending almost £7m a day on hotels for asylum seekers - and the cost is likely to rise, MPs heard last week.
The Guardian reported on Sunday there were now at least eight cases of diphtheria and a case of MRSA at Manston.