Linton-On-Ouse, USA News (Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire): Residents at Linton-On-Ouse welcomed senior Conservative shadow ministers to the small Yorkshire village that could be set to house 1,200 male asylum seekers at the former RAF base. Top Tories, including Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, Shadow Women’s Minister Joy Morrissey, party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake and local MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke, met with locals on Friday who are concerned about the impact an asylum camp would have on their sleepy village. It comes as the Government has assembled a £150million war chest to fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers, with the Home Office confirming some of it will be used to find and convert new unannounced sites.
But Linton-On-Ouse locals, who number around 700, are concerned about their safety should migrants move in and say the village does not have the infrastructure for such an influx of men. Families are moving out, with an increasing number of to let signs going up, as villagers fear their community is being destroyed. During the visit to the village, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp expressed support for the residents in opposing the plans, citing safety concerns for the area.
Infrastructure and Local Concerns
Professor Olga Matthias, a spokesman for the Linton-on-Ouse Action Group, told the press during the visit that the infrastructure of the village is entirely unsuitable for the proposed number of asylum seekers. She noted that local utilities lack capacity, pointing out power constraints and the use of sewage tankers, alongside narrow roads and a lack of public transport. Meanwhile, the Home Office defended its broader strategy, stating that the government is working to close asylum hotels, save taxpayer funds, and fairly house asylum seekers in alternative accommodation including former military sites designed to be self-contained.
