The home secretary spent around two hours at Manston and exited through a side gate, away from the assembled press.
Suella Braverman was backed by Downing Street after she flew a military helicopter to an overcrowded immigration center for £3,500 per hour.
The home secretary avoided questions from the press when she spoke with the Dover coastguard and flew in a Chinook to the Manston base.
In recent days, as many as 4,000 individuals were kept at the location for weeks, even though it is only designed to house 1,600 for no longer than 24 hours.
The government asserts that over 1,000 migrants had been relocated from Manston this week, leaving approximately 2,700 individuals at the facility.
In addition, Downing Street sources emphasized that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak receives twice-daily situation updates.
The home secretary was receiving an update on activities on the ground, which “clearly encompassed actions in the Channel,” so she “took a military aircraft to view the area of operations at sea,” according to a No. 10 spokesperson.
A Home Office spokeswoman reinforced the point, stating that she flew with the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, Dan O’Mahoney, “to have a first-hand look of Channel activities.”
Ms. Braverman spent around two hours at Manston and exited through a side gate, away from the assembled journalists at the main entrance.
While North Thanet’s MP Sir Roger Gale was also observed leaving the processing center, Dover’s MP Natalie Elphicke expressed regret that the home secretary had not met with other Kent parliamentarians.
“The small boat dilemma is not limited to the institutions that process migrants; it also affects our Kent beaches, schools, services, and housing,” she continued.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt later stated that Ms. Braverman was prepared to “face the music” despite avoiding media questions yesterday.
The Home Office has stated that actions are being made “quickly” to improve circumstances at Manston, including the improvement of medical facilities, the provision of additional bedding, and the provision of better food.
Ms. Braverman noted, “This is a complex and tough situation that requires inventive answers on all fronts.”
To dismantle the business model of people smugglers, we must finally render the illegal migrant route over the English Channel unprofitable.
“Confused, desperate, and hopelessly lost”
An asylum seeker who says he was among a group of refugees trapped in downtown London on Tuesday night claims that officials did not inform them of their destination.
The man, who identified himself as Hasibullah from Afghanistan, stated that he was among 45 migrants abducted from Manston and transported to Victoria bus station.
He told, “They advise us to take the bus.” We are going to London, but we do not know where.
“When we reach London, the driver instructs us to exit the vehicle. Then, we have no idea where to go.”
Habibullah stated that officials had not informed them of their lodging location. His group eventually received assistance from volunteers and was transported to a motel in Norwich.
One of these volunteers, Danial Abass, told that he was on a normal stroll to feed the homeless on Tuesday when he was approached by “disoriented, desperate, and lost” persons near Victoria coach stop.
He stated, “It was a truly sad and disturbing sight to watch.”
Mr. Abass claimed that many of the men wore flip-flops, grey tracksuits, identifying tags on their hands, and “large blue industrial garbage bags without coats or socks.”
He brought one of the men to Primark on Oxford Street and purchased jackets, shoes, clothing, hats, and McDonald’s for him.
“The welfare of people in our care is of the utmost importance, and asylum seekers are only discharged from Manston when we have guarantees that they have a place to stay,” said a Home Office spokeswoman.
As soon as we were notified, we moved swiftly to find housing for the individuals, and they are currently in housing and receiving support.
