Rachael Maskell MP calls for 'Home for Refugees' scheme

York's Stand up to Racism group held a meeting at the Priory Street Centre on Friday evening to talk about the plans for placing the asylum seekers in the former RAF centre near York.

York Central MP, Rachael Maskell, attended the meeting to share her thoughts on the situation.

Maskell said she was "very thankful" that the deportation flight to Rwanda didn't take off on Tuesday, but added that people must be aware that the Government is now "going for our human rights."

"The post-war human rights framework established by Churchill and enriched by Clement Atlee, is now under threat as never before and we need to defend these rights," she added.

Rachael proposed that instead of setting up a 'super bridging hotel' in Linton-on-Ouse, isolating refugees and overwhelming the local community and services, the Government should set up a 'Homes for Refugees' whereby people can welcome refugees into their homes, as they have with Ukrainian refugees.

Other speakers included Dr Bashir from York Mosque who reminded attendees that according to the Quran, everyone comes from the same root and he applauded the meetings determination to stand up to racism.

John Williamson from Refugee Action York (RAY), speaking in a personal capacity, reminded people at the meeting of the traumas refugees have already been through before they are traumatised once again by struggling through the UK asylum system.

Gary McVeigh, of the National Education Union, spoke of how Tony Benn had warned that it is not only refugees who will be treated without care or consideration but that other marginalised groups will also be hit by the Government, who are "desperately trying to distract us from their own scandals and corruption," he said.

Over 80 people attended the meeting and vowed to continue to support refugee rights and combat racism from whichever source it came.

As previously reported in The Press, The Home Office stated that the Linton-on-Ouse site would house 1,500 "destitute single adult male asylum seekers" for up to six months while their asylum applications were processed.

It is planned to have full-board accommodation, on-site recreation, exercise facilities, a shop, medical facilities and places for faith and worship.

The Home Office Minister for Safe and Legal Migration, Kevin Foster MP, confirmed last week that the site will not accommodate asylum seekers until it is deemed to be safe and conforms to all legal requirements, including the planning.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “As we continue to work on the plan for the asylum reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse, which will be as self-sufficient as possible, we continue to listen to community feedback. 

“We maintain the site is urgently needed to provide essential asylum accommodation and will assist as we end the use of asylum seekers using hotels, which are costing the taxpayer almost £5million a day.

“Our New Plan for Immigration will fix the UK’s broken asylum system, allowing us to support those in genuine need while preventing abuse of the system and deterring illegal entry to the UK.”