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20
May 2022
Ripon refugee charity joins calls opposing 1,500 asylum seekers at Linton
A Ripon refugee charity has joined calls to pause plans to house 1,500 asylum seekers at a former RAF base in Linton-on-Ouse.
Nicola David, chair of Ripon City of Sanctuary, attended a public meeting in the village last night which saw Home Office officials jeered on arrival.
The government is pushing forward with its plan to house 1,500 asylum seekers for up to six months in a ‘reception centre’ on the site, which is four miles from Great Ouseburn and Little Ousburn in the Harrogate district and not far from Knaresborough and Boroughbridge.
At the meeting, Ms David described Priti Patel, the home secretary, as a “hypocrite” because she comes from a Ugandan refugee family but shows little compassion for other refugees.
She said the Home Secretary had "pulled up the ladder" behind other refugees.
Ms David told the Stray Ferret:
Read more:
- Stunning Green win in Ouseburn sets blueprint for future collaborations
- Village on fringes of Harrogate district to house asylum seekers
Ms David, who discussed the issue on BBC Breakfast today, added that it was only the Home Office which wanted the scheme to go-ahead. She pointed out that there would be too many asylum seekers to residents at the site.
She said:
https://twitter.com/RiponCoS/status/1527567044195106818?s=20&t=Abxz4tuDAbopAqEn_Zf9Uw
Residents at last night’s meeting were told that 60 asylum seekers will arrive at the site by the end of the month and will be mostly men.
Home Office officials also said Ms Patel planned to visit the village to speak with residents about the centre.
The controversial proposal for Linton-on-Ouse comes as part of a wider plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their claims processed.
Before potentially being flown out to the African country, asylum seekers will be held in ‘reception centres’ across the UK for up to six months, with the first announced being at Linton-on-Ouse.
Ms Patel said:
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