The Bishop of Dover, Right Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, commends the efforts of Margate protesters led by the Labour mayor, opposing the Home Office’s plans to relocate asylum seekers to a barge, amid wider debates on the UK’s asylum policies.
The Bishop of Dover, Right Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, has acknowledged the efforts of protesters in Margate for their role in stopping the relocation of asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge. The protest, led by Margate’s Labour mayor, Rob Yates, successfully prevented the Home Office’s plan to move male asylum seekers from Margate, citing poor living conditions. The Bishop praised the community’s compassion, while the Home Office, maintaining its no-choice accommodation policy, and No 10 criticised the disruptions, particularly another protest in Peckham.
In Peckham, 45 protesters were arrested by the Metropolitan Police during a demonstration that blocked a coach transporting asylum seekers to Dorset. Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly condemned the protest, which involved actions like throwing rental bikes and slashing tyres, as “intimidatory and aggressive.” He stressed the government’s commitment to cease using hotels for asylum housing, instead proposing cost-effective alternatives such as barge and former military bases.
The incidents in Margate and Peckham are part of a broader debate over the UK’s asylum policies, highlighted by the government’s attempts to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of housing for asylum seekers amidst increasing Channel crossings and migrant arrivals. These protests have shown a clear divide in public reaction and governmental strategy concerning the treatment and accommodation of asylum seekers in the UK.
