Essex County Council leader Peter Harris appeared on GB News to discuss his findings.
Essex County Council leader Peter Harris visited the facility (Image: GB News)
Essex County Council leader Peter Harris has claimed asylum seekers are living in a “holiday camp”, fuming that he was “aghast” at what he saw at RAF Wethersfield. The former RAF base is being used to house illegal migrants, and Harris was allowed in by the Home Office to conduct a tour alongside his deputy council leader.
He later appeared on GB News to tell Nana Akua what he saw – leaving viewers disgusted. Harris said: “We were aghast at what we saw, to be honest. What we saw was something more akin to a holiday camp – full-sized football pitches, fully equipped gymnasiums, fitness rooms, an internal sports hall where they play cricket and basketball. Unbelievable sports [facilities].
The camp is housed in a former RAF base (Image: GB News)
“We were also told they had martial arts people coming in and training. In fact, one of the inmates – or residents – there at the moment was a UFC fighter who was in there training. We witnessed young men, very muscly, that were doing weight training. Fantastic facilities – facilities that many sports clubs would love to have right the way through the country.”
He went on: “We also saw dining rooms with a choice of menus, fantastic fresh food – it’s a great facility. We went inside the living accommodation as well, we saw two or three beds per room in a large room, very very well laid out.
“Some of the newer accommodation, once the expansion happens, is all brand spanking new units. It was quite staggering.
The base features gym equipment (Image: GB News)
“The people that we saw there, all young men, all from the age of 18 to the oldest, I would say, was in his late 30s.
“We were told there were 800 migrants there, although we only saw about 150. We asked where the others were, and were told they were in their rooms because they like to get up a little bit late. Many of them were bussed into town.”
Harris confirmed he had arrived at the facility at 9:30am but was only let in by 10am – by which time the migrants were still in bed.
He went on: “One of the other things we were shown round as well was the medical centre, which was staffed by GPs and nurses that the asylum seekers there were free to go in and use at any point, any day. Wander over, speak to them and then they would get the next available time for them, which if not that day it will certainly be some time very, very soon.”
