Former Tory minister suggests tents ‘perfectly acceptable’ to house migrants before removal

Tents would be “perfectly acceptable” to house migrants arriving via small boats while they wait to be removed, according to a senior Conservative MP.

Former minister Jonathan Gullis tabled an amendment to the Illegal Migration Bill seeking to restrict the use of hotels for asylum seekers.

The government has previously said it spends £6.8 million a day housing migrants in hotels, with extra demand created by thousands of people arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel.

Ministers are trying to find alternative accommodation, including disused military barracks.

Mr Gullis said he would not push any of his amendments to a vote after reassurances from immigration minister Robert Jenrick that “meaningful engagement” will take place over the Easter recess to “find a way forward”.

He also told the Commons: “Let’s not forget that when we talk about these hotels ... it’s damaging the hospitality sector, it is damaging the tourism sector of our towns, of our cities, (and) undermining confidence in the public of our ability to deliver on this policy.”

“There are disused Army bases that could be used. I personally have no issue with Portakabins or tents being used at all,” he added.

“This is still perfectly acceptable accommodation that can be used in a short-term interim measure, as long as we deliver on the policy that we have said to do, which is to make sure after 28 days, people are to be removed to a safe, third country such as Rwanda – a country that is perfectly safe.”

Mr Gullis, an education minister for around seven weeks last year, was later told to “give his head a wobble” by Labour MP Stella Creasy as the pair clashed in the Commons over child asylum seekers.

Ms Creasy highlighted “failures of safeguarding” of children in Home Office hotels in the UK.

Mr Gullis, Stoke-on-Trent North MP, replied: “When the minister came to the despatch box about the 200 missing children, 95 per cent of those were 16 to 17 years old, an age in which smugglers encourage people who think they can get away with looking such an age – 88 per cent of those are Albanians.

“Why would any parent spend £4,500 to send their child illegally on a small rubber boat when they could go on an airplane for £30? And it’s important to understand the minister made it clear that with those 200 there was no evidence that anyone had been kidnapped, they had left of their own accord.”

Ms Creasy, in her reply, said: “I would suggest the member from Stoke gives his head a wobble for what he has just said about children who have gone missing – 16 and 17-year-olds are children.”

She said she hopes the children turn up safe and well, adding: “If they don’t, what this member has just said will come back to haunt him.”

In January, the government confirmed 200 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children remained missing after initially being accommodated in hotels since July 2021.