Open Letter to The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, Prime Minister and Minister for the Union

Dear Prime Minister,

Overcrowding & Inhumane Conditions at RAF Base, Manston, Kent

As representatives of civil society, refugee and migrant organisations, lawyers, providers, trade unions, teachers' unions, educational institutions and faith and belief communities across the United Kingdom, we, the undersigned, write to express our grave concerns about the way your Government is handling its responsibilities under the International Refugee Convention of 1951, to which the UK is a founding signatory.

Multiple media reports, including The Observer, The Times and The Independent, suggest that your recently reappointed Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, while working under Liz Truss, directly blocked refugee transfers from a severely overcrowded “processing centre” at Manston, Kent, leading directly to outbreaks of scabies and diphtheria. The centre has a capacity of 1,000. It currently holds almost 3,000 men, women, and children - each with a face, a name and a story.

According to news reports, government ocials warned Ms Braverman that she risked breaking the law by keeping refugees at the “processing centre” for several weeks when it was intended to hold people for only 24 hours. Several government sources state that Ms Braverman had blocked the transfer of thousands of asylum seekers to hotels during her first tenure as home secretary, even though the numbers were well above capacity.

Last week, MPs heard from David Neal, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, that he was left “speechless” by what he witnessed during a visit to Manston.

Last Monday - before your controversial reappointment of Ms Braverman – the Home Oce opened three hotels to asylum seekers to ease overcrowding. The move was reportedly authorised after Grant Shapps, who temporarily replaced Ms Braverman at the Home Oce, was told about the conditions at Manston.

This government cannot hide from the facts – dangerous overcrowding, disease, and the risk of disorder. What is happening at Manston is cruel and barbaric.

Shockingly, your Home Secretary stoked xenophobia and anti-immigrant hatred to prevent human beings from being transferred out of a disease-ridden, overcrowded camp. Her dreams of taking planes to Rwanda are real-life nightmares for desperate refugees.

We cannot count the number of times people in hotels have recounted  to us they were led to believe that they would be sent to Rwanda if they complained about some mundane cruelty like food or not having money. The fear they feel about your dreams simply multiplies. We expect depression and self harm incidents to increase. 

After the arson attack at Dover, 700 more asylum seekers have been transferred to Manston, causing worsening overcrowding. This is a reminder that hate rhetoric by ministers can have deadly consequences. The Home Secretary’s decisions to block transfers and hate speech led in no small way to this.

You said you want your government to have 'integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level,' yet you have just appointed Suella Braverman to be home secretary again, a week after she resigned for breaches of the ministerial code and security lapses. Now is the time to act. As Prime Minister and Minister for the Union, we call on you to stop pandering to the far right, sack Suella Braverman and put in place someone who can do the job of Home Secretary with a shred of humanity and decency.

1. Rachel Smith, Chair, Positive Action in Housing
2. Robina Qureshi, CEO Positive Action in Housing
3. Abi Kingston, Community Cook Up, London
4. Alison Phipps, University of Glasgow.
5. Alison Rawles
6. Amanda Church-McFarlane, Co-CEO/Bradford Project Manager Abigail Housing
7. Amie Byrne, ASIRT, Birmingham
8. Amy Burrows
9. Ana Szopa,
10. Andrew MacDonald, Independent Social Worker
11. Anerley Cartlidge, Caseworker, Voices in Exile
12. Anne Hunter
13. Annie Rhodes
14. Anton Simanowitz, Refugee host
15. Antonia Ineson, former public health worker
16. Aristea Maundy, SD, Housing Drop-In Project
17. Arthur West - Scottish Peace Network
18. Asylum Seeker Housing Project (ASH), Glasgow
19. Barrie Levine, Chair, Legal Services Agency, Glasgow P/C
20. Bea Giaquinto Nottingham Arimathea Trust
21. Beth Reid, Social Workers Without Borders // Causeway
22. Bill MacKeith, Oxford Against Immigration Detention
23. Billy Singh
24. Bob Ellard, Disabled People Against Cuts
25. Bob Rice, Dundee Labour Party
26. Brian Smith, UNISON Glasgow Branch Secretary
27. Bridget Wylie, Emeritus Professor
28. C Marta Buszewicz, General Practitioner
29. Carol Hayden
30. Carrie Wheater, CEO, RAY (Refugee Action York
31. Cat Robertson, media co-op
32. Catharine Ward Thompson, The Welcoming, Edinburgh
33. Catherine Rice, Dundee Labour Party
34. Cathy Turner, Duchenne Care Improvement Project Manager, the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
35. Christa Hook, Peebles, Scottish Borders
36. Christine Puckering, psychologist and refugee host
37. Clare Baker, Cambridge Welcome
38. Clare Scanlan
39. Colin Birks
40. Crystal Dickinson
41. Daniel Allum, Advocate, Causeway
42. Dave Sherry, Unite Retired Members Branch
43. David Jackson, Cranhill Development Trust
44. Deborah Gill Rea, Independent Volunteer Caseworker for disabled asylum seekers and those with Right to Remain.
45. Dr Gen Cannibal Refugee host
46. Dr Marion Hersh, UCU NEC
47. Dr Paul S Philippou, Perth Against Racism
48. Dr Rachel Douglas, University of Glasgow
49. Dr Helen Groom Retired Gateshead GP
50. Dr Paul Miller, Glasgow
51. Dr.Rhetta Moran, RAPAR, Human Rights Organisation, Advisor to Leadership-Manchester
52. Eddie O’Hara, Chair All Birmingham’s Children
53. Eleanor Grieve, Lecturer Glasgow University
54. Elisabeth Burleigh, Cambridge
55. Elizabeth Egziabher SRMP
56. Elizabeth Hare Chair Refugee Advocacy Information and Support Lancaster
57. Elizabeth Long, Partnerships Coordinator, Refugee, Asylum seeker and Migrant Action
58. Elizabeth Johnson, Peebles
59. Emma Kemsley-Pein, Housing Solicitor, Tower Hamlets Law Centre
60. Eve Phillips, Immigration Advisor, ASIRT
61. Felipe Bustos Sierra, filmmaker
62. Felix Kupay, CEO Entraide (Mutual Aid)
63. Gail Fraser
64. Gareth Lynn Montes, Welsh Refugee Council
65. Grant Lewison, refugee host
66. Hannah Mimiec
67. Harriet Prothero - Soltani, Welsh Refugee Council
68. Heidi Latala- Staordshire
69. Holly Hunter
70. Hugh Mathie, Stirling, Scotland.
71. Hugh O’Boyle, Freedom from Torture
72. Iain Whyte, Iona Community
73. Ian MacLaren, Dunoon, Scotland
74. India Boxall, Glasgow
75. Indre Lechtimiakyte, Legal and Migrant Support Manager, Samphire,
76. Jacci Peach, Refugee Cardi
77. JackWhentrefugeehost
78. Jacob Berkson, Brighton Migrant Solidarity
79. James Robert Gillespie, Glasgow
80. James Swyer, New Forest West Labour Party,
81. Jan Foster Trustee Doncaster Conversation Club
82. Janet Fenton, Peace & Justice (Scotland)
83. Janet Fuller Derby Refugee Advice Centre
84. Janina Engler-Williams, Caseworker, Bristol Refugee Rights
85. Jennifer Wilson, Glasgow
86. Jenny Maimane, refugee host
87. Jill Day, Project Lead, Belper Refugee Welcome
88. Jim Malone Dundee TUC
89. Joanne MacInnes & Leyla Williams, Directors of West London Welcome
90. Jock Morris, Chair, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
91. John Dennis Secretary Dumfries & Galloway Trade Union Council
92. John Evans
93. John Gray RMT
94. John Raven
95. Jude Lancet, Welfare Adviser, Haringey Migrant Support Centre
96. Judith Carter, Solicitor and Lecturer, University of Liverpool Law Clinic
97. Judith Robinson, London
98. Julia Nelki Refugee Resilience collective
99. Julie Lawrence Samphire,
100. Karen Paula Abrams, retired Librarian
101. Karen Pearse, Director, Positive Action For Refugees and Asylum Seekers
102. Kari Shah, refugee host
103. Katryn Adams, Glasgow
104. Keely Hunt - Housing Advisor St Mungo's
105. Keith McIvor, music producer / DJ
106. Kerry Sharkey, University of Glasgow
107. Kirsten Arding, Asylum Link Merseyside
108. Kevin Emmanuel, Plymouth Hope,
109. Kooj Chuhan, Director, Crossing Footprints CIC
110. Lainy Bedingfield Kingsway Community Connections
111. Lauren Roberts, UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration, University of Glasgow.
112. Lea Cowan, refugee host
113. Lediana Pajaj, Shpresa Programme
114. Leeds Anti-Raids Action
115. Linda Burnip, Disabled People Against Cuts
116. Linden Stables, Glasgow
117. Liz Macdonald, East Dunbartonshire Action for Refugees
118. Lorna Fitzsimmons, Glasgow
119. Lucy Metcalfe
120. Lucy Nabijou, Haringey Welcome
121. Maddie Harris, Director, Humans for Rights Network
122. Maggie Cook, Falkirk Council UNISON Branch Chair
123. Maja Passchier, cello teacher and refugee host
124. Mandeep Duhra
125. Manuel Monade SRMP
126. Mark Goldring, Director, Asylum Welcome
127. Marta Buszewicz, GP
128. Martina Jirankova-Limbrick
129. Martyn Day MP, Linlithgow and East Falkirk Constituency
130. Mary Cameron
131. Matthew Bates, refugee host
132. Maureen McBride, University of Glasgow
133. Meera Senior, High Peak Stand Up To Racism and Refugee Host
134. Melanie Kakkar
135. Michael Shaw
136. Michelle Lamptey
137. Mindy Goose, a charity trustee
138. Moira Walker, Glasgow
139. Nic Burne, Trustee & Volunteer, Doncaster Conversation Club
140. Nic Lee
141. Nick Harborne, CEO, Refugee Support Group (Berkshire)
142. Nicola Crean, Admin -Maslow’s Community
143. Nicola Somerville, Medical Student University of St Andrews
144. Nikki Walters, Chair, Southampton Action
145. Oky Lee-Morris, Executive Director, The Cotton Tree Trust (London)
146. Oliver Urpi, Operations Manager - Meta
147. Orla Craig
148. Owen Temple, Chair, No To Hassockfield Campaign
149. Pat Raerty, Scottish Secretary, Unite the Union,
150. Patricia Cassidy
151. Patricia McRobbie, Psychotherapist and Refugee Host
152. Patrick Hort, Managing Director
153. Paul Sweeney MSP, Glasgow
154. Paula Peters, Disabled People Against Cuts
155. Perdita Heller, UASC Foster Carer and refugee host
156. Perpetua Kirby, Department of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex,
157. Phil Harris, TD12
158. Pinar Aksu, Maryhill Integration Network
159. Pippa Kendall Women Refugees Into Work
160. Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
161. Pouneh Ahari, Research and Policy Ocer, ASIRT
162. Rachel Ewing refugee host
163. Rachel Whitehouse, ESOL Tutor/Project Lead English For All UK (Newcastle
164. Raymond Kilpatrick
165. Reiner Tegtmeyer
166. Rend Platings, CEO Mums4Ukraine
167. Rev David McLachlan, Church of Scotland
168. Rev Dr Robert Calvert Church of Scotland
169. Revd Len Abrams, Priest, Church of England
170. Roger Bilham
171. Roger van Schaick, Host Nottingham
172. Rosamund Dakin, retired teacher and refugee host
173. Ruba Sulaiman Khaled, RAPAR, Human Rights Organisation
174. Rupert Page, Refugee Host
175. Ruth MacLeod, refugee host
176. Ruth McGlynn, Activist
177. Ryan Doherty & Cara Gibney, Starling Collective, Belfast
178. Sarah McCulloch, University of Strathclyde/ Learning Network West.
179. Sarah Methven Bristol Reporting Solidarity
180. Sarah Nansukkusa UCRA London
181. Seema Sood
182. Serena Fasso, solicitor
183. Shruti Jain, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, Saheliya
184. Si Clarke, sci-fi author and refugee host
185. Simon Beresford-Wylie
186. Simon Cli
187. Simon Petty Regional LeadCare4Calais Liverpool
188. SofiaYu
189. Sophy Gairdner Bristol Reporting Solidarity
190. Stephen Rawles, Glasgow
191. Stephen Sharp Engineer Glasgow
192. Stephen Smellie, Depute Convenor UNISON Scotland
193. Steven McCluskey, Bikes for Refugees (Scotland)
194. Sue Laughlin, People's Health Movement Scotland
195. Sue Lowe, grandmother and retired teacher
196. Thomas Martin, Director, City of Sanctuary Sheeld
197. Tony Clarke, a Postgraduate student at Glasgow University
198. Tony Openshaw, Alternative Asylum News
199. Trustees and Leadership, RAPAR
200. Trustees and members of Thousand 4 1000 CIO,
201. Unity Centre Glasgow
202. Vicki Squire, Professor of International Politics, University of Warwick,
203. Waqar Haque
204. Will Golding, Connecting Craigmillar
205. Will Sutclie, Chair, Bradford City of Sanctuary
206. Zoe Hibell G

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