MOD Bicester and Illegal Migrants

The Chancellor’s budget fails to address the cost-of-living crisis, offering inadequate measures to tackle rising energy bills and food prices. The reduction in national insurance contributions is insufficient compared to the £400 per household needed for the energy price guarantee. The Government has also failed to address the housing crisis, which exacerbates the struggle for affordable homes.

Supports Morrissey's motion, highlighting that illegal immigration is a problem not just in Piddington but also in nearby villages.

Agrees that illegal migrants are a problem across Northern Ireland and supports the idea of abolishing the ECHR to remove obstacles for deportation.

Acknowledges Morrissey's efforts but criticises her for not visiting Stoke-on-Trent during her time in government, despite the significant number of migrants in the city under previous administrations.

Reiterates the need to leave the ECHR to ensure personal security for women and girls and to secure the borders.

Supports Morrissey's motion, emphasising that the failure to recognise cultural differences underpins the unwillingness to address the issue effectively.

Questions the Conservative Party's stance on immigration during their previous government, when boat crossings were at a record high.

Commends the current Government for closing down the Brook asylum hotel, although this has led to increased use of HMOs for housing asylum seekers.

Concerned about the risks posed by housing asylum seekers in HMOs and questions the transparency of the Government's data on such accommodations.

Questions the safety of large asylum sites far from town centres and criticises the previous government's approach of opening hotels in city centres without informing local authorities.

Supports the idea of deporting illegal migrants to Rwanda and criticises the Labour Party for abandoning the Rwanda plan after the general election.

Questions the implications of the UK's exit from the ECHR for the devolved settlement in Scotland.

Commends the women of Piddington for speaking up but criticises the Conservative Party for failing to address the issue when in power.

The speaker emphasises the chaos inherited from the previous Conservative government, highlighting the increase in illegal crossings and the strain on public services. She outlines the Labour Government's actions, including the establishment of Border Security Command, the introduction of counter-terror style powers, and the reduction of small boat crossings and asylum claims. She also discusses the importance of international cooperation, the reduction of costs associated with asylum accommodation, and the use of former military sites for housing asylum seekers. The speaker addresses concerns about MOD Bicester and the impact on local communities, stressing the importance of fairness and public safety.

Argued against the motion's second part, stating that leaving the ECHR would harm Britain's standing in the world and make it harder to manage an asylum system. He criticised the Conservative party for moving towards the hard-right to appease Nigel Farage and the Reform party. He also highlighted the importance of ECHR rights, such as the right to life and freedom of speech, and the negative implications for Northern Ireland. He called for the Government to drop its red lines on Europe and join the EU asylum pact.

I respect the democratic right of constituents to be heard and criticise the Conservative-designed asylum accommodation programme for its negative impact on local communities. The programme favoured deprived areas with lower land values, putting pressure on local services and community cohesion. I refute the notion that this policy is not about class, as it disproportionately affects deprived areas like Crewe. I urge the Government to close the Crewe Arms Hotel and the Royal Hotel as asylum accommodation and to use appropriate military sites for asylum seekers. I oppose the motion and the Opposition's retreat from being a serious national party of government.

I agree with the unfairness of asylum dispersal and highlight the issue's importance to my constituents in Hillingdon, which has the highest number of asylum seekers per capita due to Heathrow airport. I criticise the system's creator and Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Makerfield, for the flaws in the asylum dispersal system. I question the Minister about the European convention on human rights and the refugee convention, advocating for a different approach to sovereignty and the introduction of an asylum visa to robustly address the issue. I emphasise the need for full consultation and planning to address the situation for my constituents and Madam Deputy Speaker.

Ben Goldsborough argues that the Conservatives are not engaging seriously with the reforms already before Parliament and instead call for full withdrawal from the European convention on human rights. He outlines the details of clauses 17 to 20 in the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which address sponsor human rights claims, clarify the definition of 'family life', strengthen public interest considerations, and set out exceptional circumstances in deportation cases. He criticises the Conservatives for their lack of engagement and the impact of their past mismanagement on the current immigration and asylum system.

Expresses concern about the lack of proper vetting and the potential impact on women's rights. Points to statistical evidence showing high rates of gender-based violence and restrictive attitudes towards women in countries of origin for asylum seekers. Questions the effectiveness of current asylum and deportation policies and suggests that the UK should have more control over who enters the country and on what basis.

Responds to Kieran Mullan by noting the presence of misogyny in the UK and the possibility that some asylum seekers leave their countries because they disagree with those values. Challenges Mullan's assumption that all men in those countries hold negative views towards women.

Asks about the rate of women in the UK who report being sexually harassed in public, referencing Mullan's earlier statement about the 80% figure in one of the countries of origin for asylum seekers.

Questions Mullan's proposed solutions and cites concerns from the Republic of Ireland and other governments about the impact of the UK leaving the ECHR on the Good Friday agreement.

Chris Murray highlights the need to address the current asylum system's issues, including the high costs of hotels and the negative impact on local communities. He argues for the use of large asylum sites as a solution, citing their cost-efficiency, efficiency in processing, community engagement, and better safeguarding measures.

Nusrat Ghani reduces the time limit for Back-Bench speeches to five minutes, likely in response to the length of previous speeches.

Suella Fernandes supports the concerns of residents in Piddington and Waterlooville, highlighting the need for the Government to listen to local communities and take action against the housing of asylum seekers in these areas. She emphasises the peaceful protests and campaigns against the influx of illegal migrants.

Zubir Ahmed acknowledged the concerns of women in Piddington and Glasgow South West regarding asylum and immigration. He emphasised the importance of addressing legitimate concerns about safeguarding and the backlog of asylum cases without allowing the debate to bleed into issues of multiculturalism and ethnonationalism. He highlighted the historical success of the UK in integration and immigration, citing his own family's immigration story. He argued for the need to address the issue to protect minority communities from abuse and attack. He supported the Home Secretary's Bill, which aims to restore trust and confidence in the asylum and immigration system by fast-tracking applications and reinterpreting human rights legislation. He emphasised the importance of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and its role in protecting women's safety and religious freedom.

MOD Bicester site A is unsuitable for housing asylum seekers due to practical and environmental concerns. The site lacks necessary infrastructure and has environmental hazards such as asbestos. It is more expensive than using hotels and would cause community tensions. The Government should withdraw the proposal and consider their borders plan.

The proposal to house male asylum seekers at MOD Bicester site A is inappropriate and wrong for local communities, asylum seekers, and the taxpayer. The site is unsuitable and unsafe, as previously rejected in 2005. Local residents are concerned about stretched resources and women's safety. The Government should pause planning and conduct a full environmental impact assessment as required.

Brandreth expresses concern over the government's handling of asylum seekers, citing the case of Shabir Ahmed and the lack of support for victims of the grooming gang scandal. She criticises the current system for placing asylum seekers in small rural villages, which are ill-equipped to handle such influxes, and calls for a change to the immigration system to prevent illegal arrivals in the first place.

Leigh shares his personal experience with the unsuitability of large military bases for housing migrants, highlighting the failure of a project at RAF Scampton. He argues that such large bases do not work as a deterrent and proposes the use of isolated, secure facilities for detention. He criticises the restrictions imposed by the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights and advocates for offshoring as a solution.

Wishart criticises the Conservative party for creating a crisis in the asylum system and using facilities like Bicester to manage the backlog. He opposes the demonising language used by some Conservatives and argues that the real issue lies with people fleeing oppressive situations worldwide. He also addresses the use of the term 'illegal migrant' and its impact on perceptions.

The current direction of the Government’s immigration policy is harming women and girls. Small boat crossings surged by 50% between the 2024 general election and the end of 2025, reaching nearly 65,000 people. The influx has led to increased fear among women and girls in communities. The speaker suggests that a rural village of 350 people is not a suitable site for more than 1,000 single men and advocates for measures like leaving the ECHR and repealing the Human Rights Act to tackle illegal immigration. She also emphasises the need to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration and protect those who seek to contribute positively to the UK economy.

The MOD Bicester site is outside her constituency but is a concern for her and other nearby communities. She wrote to the Home Secretary on behalf of female constituents, expressing concerns about safety. She highlights the unsuitability of the site for housing more than 1,250 people, despite previous rulings. She questions why security staff have been issued stab vests, indicating potential risks. She suggests that reviewing the UK's position on the ECHR could help address immigration issues and cites other European countries reconsidering their relationship with the ECHR.

The population growth due to mass migration is changing the character of the UK without public consent. He criticises the Government's approach to asylum seekers, citing examples of serious crimes committed by foreign nationals. He emphasises the cultural mismatch between the values of some immigrants and those of the British public. He argues that foreign nationals are disproportionately responsible for sex crimes and drug offences, and calls for a review of the UK's relationship with the ECHR. He also highlights the importance of addressing this issue from a national security perspective.

Nusrat Ghani intervened to remind the shadow Home Secretary to be careful with the words used when discussing cases that are sub judice and live cases, emphasising the importance of judicial process and fairness.

Jo White acknowledged the challenges of the current asylum system and the progress made by the government in fixing it. She mentioned the reduction in small boat arrivals and the plans to end the use of asylum hotels. The Minister emphasised housing asylum seekers in more appropriate accommodation, such as former military bases, and stressed the importance of working with the community and listening to concerns.

Several hon. Members made interventions, including Chris Philp, Kieran Mullan, and Mike Wood, asking for the Minister to give way and address specific points such as the deportation of rapists and the need for transparency in the decision-making process.