Labour to reopen immigration centres, add 290 beds

Labour is moving forward with reopening two immigration centres to boost removal rates to their highest since 2018.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the addition of 290 beds at Campsfield House and Haslar.

Campsfield House, located in Oxfordshire, closed in 2019, while Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire, shut its doors in 2015.

In 2022, the Conservative government proposed reopening these facilities to expand detention capacity by 1,000 beds, at a cost of £339 million.

Local opposition has been strong, pointing to previous issues at Campsfield House, including hunger strikes, self-harm incidents, and suicides.

A source from the Home Office emphasised their commitment to the welfare and safety of detainees, stating that removals would be conducted with dignity and respect. The plan includes an initial phase of 290 beds, ultimately aiming for 1,000 beds across both sites.

According to the Home Office, ministers aim to achieve the highest removal rates in six months for individuals without the right to remain, including failed asylum seekers.

Government staff will be reassigned to increase returns, which have decreased by 40% since 2010. This initiative is part of broader efforts to reform the UK’s immigration and asylum system.

Labour’s election manifesto promised the creation of a new Border Security Command to combat people-smuggling gangs in the Channel, reallocating funds from the defunct Rwanda scheme.

The Conservative government spent approximately £700 million on the Rwanda plan, which faced legal challenges and never sent any asylum seekers.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the scheme as “dead and buried” shortly after taking office.

Yvette Cooper accused the Tories of incompetence and wasting taxpayer money, pledging to address the current issues in border security and asylum, although acknowledging there are no quick fixes. Voters expect results, particularly on stopping small boat crossings.

Labour plans to bolster the National Crime Agency (NCA) with 100 new specialist intelligence officers, adding to the 50% increase in NCA officers stationed in Europol. Additionally, a new illegal working programme will target employers hiring individuals without the right to remain.

Junior Home Office Minister Seema Malhotra could not specify when the new approach would impact small boat crossings or whether the funds from the scrapped Rwanda plan would be sufficient.

Home Office data revealed that 206 migrants crossed the English Channel in three boats on Monday, bringing the 2024 provisional total to 19,294, a 10% increase from 17,620 at the same point last year.

A recent Ipsos poll indicated that immigration now tops the list of concerns for Britons for the first time since 2016. A Labour source reiterated the party’s stance that the Tories left a “dire inheritance” on border security with no quick fixes available.

Yvette Cooper stated, “We are taking strong and clear steps to boost our border security and ensure the rules are respected and enforced.”

The new Border Security Command is recruiting staff and enhancing cooperation with European enforcement agencies to dismantle criminal smuggling gangs. The aim is to establish a more controlled and managed system, replacing the previous chaos.