Essex County Council leader Peter Harris has spoken out about what he saw during a visit to RAF Wethersfield, saying he was shocked by the facilities available to asylum seekers staying at the former RAF base.
Harris was allowed to visit the site by the Home Office, together with his deputy council leader. The former RAF base is currently being used to house asylum seekers while their cases are being dealt with.
Speaking later on GB News, Harris said he was surprised by the standard of the facilities at the site. He compared the place to a holiday camp because of the number of sports and leisure facilities available.
He said the site had full-size football pitches, gyms, fitness rooms and an indoor sports hall where people could play sports such as cricket and basketball. He also said martial arts trainers sometimes came to the site to train residents.
Harris claimed that one of the people staying at the centre was a UFC fighter who was training there. He also said he saw young men using the gym and doing weight training.
He described the sports facilities as very impressive and said many sports clubs around the country would be happy to have similar facilities.
During the visit, Harris also saw the dining areas. He said there was a choice of meals and that the food appeared fresh. He described the accommodation as well organised, with two or three beds in some of the larger rooms.
He also said that newer accommodation was being built as part of the planned expansion of the site. According to Harris, some of the new units were completely new and had surprised him because of their condition and appearance.
Harris said most of the people he saw were young men, ranging from 18 years old to people in their late 30s.
He was told that around 800 asylum seekers were staying at the site, although he said he only saw about 150 people during his visit. When he asked about the others, he was told that many were still in their rooms because they tended to get up later in the morning. He also said some residents were taken into the town by bus.
Harris arrived at the facility at about 9:30am but said he was not allowed inside until around 10am. By then, he said many of the residents were still asleep in their rooms.
He also visited the medical centre at the site. Harris said it was staffed by GPs and nurses and that asylum seekers could use the service free of charge. He said residents could go to the centre during the day, speak to medical staff and receive an appointment, either on the same day or soon afterwards.
His comments have raised further questions about the cost and standard of accommodation provided to asylum seekers in the UK, particularly at a time when councils and taxpayers are facing financial pressures. The visit has also added to the wider debate over how asylum seekers should be housed while their claims are being processed.
