Prime Minister David Cameron must personally decide whether to shut the door on migrants entering Portsmouth to prevent the city descending into chaos. A letter calling for the prime minister’s intervention has been sent by the city council at the same time the northern centre of Manchester sees a ‘migrant jungle camp’ emerge, and struggles to cope with its own influx.
Portsmouth’s move follows an angry meeting in the city centre between pro and anti-migrant groups. Rival demonstrators clashed in Portsmouth Guildhall Square and Commercial Road on Tuesday as major protests were held on the issue of asylum seekers.
There were scuffles as people demonstrating for more help from Portsmouth for asylum seekers were confronted by demonstrators calling for action to help those already homeless in the city. Rival groups tried to shout each other down in Commercial Road, some chanting “No more refugees” and others “Refugees are welcome here.”
Members of Stand Up to Racism – a hard left wing press group – students, and local residents had gathered to lobby councillors to change their stance, according to the Portsmouth News.
Speaking at a meeting of the full council after the protests, Councillor Aiden Gray, deputy Labour group leader, said: “There is a vacuum of evidence at the moment about strong decision making.
- Asylum seeker advocates take to the streets in Portsmouth.
“The government must make a decision one way or another over what it will do regarding the asylum seekers crisis, or we will see more of this chaos and the flash points far more often.
“‘That is something which must come down from the prime minister; he needs to show his hand and tell us what he will do.”
Breitbart London has confirmed a letter seeking the prime minister’s intervention has been sent.
Council has also proposed that Portsmouth no longer be considered as a ‘cluster area’ for migrants and asylum seekers.
According to a leaked report seen by the BBC, a “disproportionate number” of asylum seekers are being housed in Portsmouth compared to more expensive towns and cities.
From April to June 2015, 124 asylum seekers were housed in Portsmouth – 43 per cent of the south-east total.
But areas in the south of England, including Winchester, Chichester, Guildford, Bournemouth and Havant, took no asylum seekers in this quarter.
Meanwhile in Manchester, a sprawling shanty town – nicknamed the ‘Manchester Jungle’ – has been set up in the centre of the city by homeless people including newly-arrived migrants.
More than 20 tents and waterproof sheets as well as makeshift washing lines, housing around 50 people, are on University of Manchester land off London Road near the busy Piccadilly railway station and landmark hotels including the Malmaison and the Macdonald.
Manchester City Council said it was working with the people living there, mainly Britons and migrants, to help them into accommodation.
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