York Liberal Democrats condemn revival of "Guantanamo-on-Ouse" asylum plans

York Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government after it announced plans to once again use the former RAF base at Linton-on-Ouse to accommodate asylum seekers.

The site was at the centre of significant controversy in 2022, when proposals to house up to 1,500 asylum seekers there were abandoned following widespread opposition and legal action.

Councillor Andrew Hollyer, York Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Housing and Planning, said:

"It's deeply disappointing to see the Government revive its 'Guantanamo-on-Ouse' plan after it was rightly abandoned just a few years ago.

"The plan was ill-thought-out then, and it remains ill-thought-out today. Housing vulnerable people on a remote former military base is not a credible or sustainable answer to the challenges facing the asylum system.

"This approach has already been shown to be expensive for taxpayers and damaging for the mental health and wellbeing of vulnerable people. Repeating the mistakes of the past will do little to fix the underlying problems."

Cllr Hollyer said the Government should focus on creating an asylum system that is efficient, fair and properly managed, rather than relying on temporary accommodation at former military sites.

He added:

"Everyone agrees that the asylum system needs to work better. That means making decisions more quickly, tackling the backlog and ensuring public money is spent effectively.

"Simply reopening proposals that previously failed to win public confidence is not a long-term solution. Local residents deserve certainty, and those seeking asylum deserve a system that is fair, efficient and humane."