Home Office says it has a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to illegal drug use and has introduced ‘more robust’ procedures A total of 29 staff have been sacked after positive drug tests at the Manston migrant processing centre – a sixfold increase in the space of a year Thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in the UK after crossing the Channel on dinghies are processed at the site near Ramsgate in Kent by Home Office officials and contractors Many of the new arrivals are vulnerable and arrive in the UK traumatised New Home Office freedom of information data obtained by the Guardian reveals that 29 staff were sacked after testing positive for drugs including cannabis amphetamines and non-prescription Tramadol compared with figures from 2023 which the Home Office said involved five or fewer drugs sackings contractors and sub-contractors are on the site in the space of a year but it is not known how many of that number are detention custody officers who are directly in charge of the new arrivals There are likely to be a few hundred staff on site during any given shift Workers on the Manston site who test positive for illegal drugs are suspended while a disciplinary investigation is held Those who have tested positive for drugs have an opportunity to lodge an appeal and to obtain independent analysis of the sample taken for the drug test Home Office sources said random and intelligence-led drug testing was conducted to protect the vulnerable people being processed on the site and that positive tests lead to dismissal and withdrawal of accreditation as detention custody officers the assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association the trade union that represents staff at Manston said: “The POA can never condone drug-taking in the workplace we would urge the employer to offer suitable occupational support to people found to be using drugs.” In November 2022, the Guardian revealed that some guards were removed from Manston after complaints about drugs Asylum seekers complained that some staff tried to sell them drugs while staff complained some of their colleagues were using drugs while on duty the Home Office said: “The individuals involved in this incident were swiftly removed from the site and we will continue to take robust action against those whose behaviour falls beneath those high standards.” according to the new FoI data nobody working at Manston was sacked for drug use in 2022 Emma Ginn, the director of the charity Medical Justice, which works to support people in immigration detention, said: “Medical Justice is alarmed by the apparent high rate of illicit drug use by staff responsible for the safety and wellbeing of people who, having been detained after a perilous journey to the UK, are in a vulnerable situation and need sensitive care.” Read moreA Home Office spokesperson said: “We have a zero-tolerance approach to illegal drug use found on testing By introducing more robust procedures and increasing testing we are demonstrating our commitment to ensuring the care of those transiting through Manston is maintained.” last month Home Office sources confirmed that a man had attempted to take his life on the site Such attempts are unusual because new arrivals generally move through the site in a matter of hours A Home Office spokesperson said in connection with this incident: “Our duty of care towards people detained at Manston and across our entire immigration estate is of the utmost importance.” Offensive broadside was reportedly heard over portable radios at Manston processing site An investigation has been launched after a racist message was reportedly “blasted out” on portable radios used by Home Office contractors at an asylum processing centre The deeply offensive broadside, saying “fuck off you [N-word]s, go back to where you came from”, was reportedly heard at the Manston processing site for small boat arrivals in Kent The Home Office and its contractors Mitie have condemned the language used It is understood a meeting was held last Friday at Manston to discuss the message which has been condemned as racist and unprofessional it is apparently not easy to identify who broadcast it A source working at Manston said: “It was about three in the afternoon when someone blasted [the offensive message] over the radios … I’ve never known a message like that go out on our radios before.” Home Office sources confirmed that as a result of the reported incident a planned upgrade of the contractor radios at Manston was being expedited The new radios will allow messages to be traceable It is not known how many newly arrived asylum seekers heard the message Many of those arriving at Manston after crossing the Channel in small boats are suffering from problems including petrol burns and hypothermia Many have lived through traumatic experiences such as torture and trafficking in their home countries or during their journey While asylum seekers arriving at Manston have had a range of experiences many from countries such as Sudan and Eritrea have had particularly long and difficult journeys often passing through Libya where persecution of refugees is widespread A Home Office spokesperson said: “We completely condemn the use of this language and behaviour A Mitie spokesperson said: “This language is unacceptable and we expect the highest standards from anyone working on site As soon as we were made aware of the allegations A new closed-net radio system has been agreed with the Home Office.” Manston has been the subject of criticism from watchdogs including HM Inspectorate of Prisons, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture with outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies and claims of assaults by guards An independent inquiry into a catalogue of failings at Manston in 2022 began last month The format of the inquiry is still to be finalised It is not the first time Mitie contractors have been accused of racism. In 2021 an employment tribunal said it was “deeply concerned” about Mitie contractors who deport people on behalf of the Home Office having used the racist term “cotton pickers” to describe their black colleagues but it dismissed a claim of race and disability discrimination In 2022 Mitie admitted it had received complaints two years previously about racist comments from some staff in a WhatsApp group Mitie is one of the government’s largest contractors the director of the charity Asylum Matters The people in Manston have newly arrived into our country to ask for our help This is by no means the first report of these sorts of rights abuses at the hands of companies which make huge profits from our asylum system We urge government to address the practices of their contractors and to rebuild an asylum system that places dignity Maddie Harris, the director of Humans For Rights Network which provides support for asylum seekers released from Manston said: “People disclose to us that they have been subject to extreme physical violence been forced to work or held in detention facilities and prisons deprived of their liberty and endured acute psychological abuse People arriving in the UK to seek sanctuary should be protected from further harm treated with dignity and respect and provided with support in order to recover.” Asylum seekers detained at Manston in Kent say they were kept in unsanitary tents during infectious disease outbreak At least 250 people who were detained at Manston asylum centre during a period when it was dangerously overcrowded and grappling with outbreaks of infectious diseases are suing the government for unlawful detention and other breaches of their rights They include a woman who had a miscarriage a child whose age was recorded as five years older than he was and a teenager who was a victim of torture and trafficking The claims arise from a time when the Home Office’s site in Kent for processing people who had crossed the Channel on small boats was described by a senior union official as “a humanitarian crisis on British soil” The former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, David Neal, said the poorly managed and insanitary conditions there were so bad he was rendered speechless. But it was only in the months after this bleak period – between June and November 2022 – that the full details of what happened there began to emerge Those bringing claims against the government include a 19-year-old from Sudan who was a victim of torture and trafficking although his vulnerabilities were not recorded while he was detained at Manston for 33 days He said he was often hungry and was only allowed one shower the whole time he was there He said that some of the officials he encountered at Manston told him to “go back to your country” was given a birth date five years older than his actual age A Syrian woman had a particularly difficult time She arrived in the UK with her husband and their five young children but when her husband complained to guards about the conditions at Manston he was removed from the site and placed in an immigration detention centre Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters She did not know where he had been taken and feared he had been deported She and the children spent 11 days in a freezing and were only allowed to leave it to go to the toilet When her children contracted a sickness bug that was circulating at Manston she had nowhere to wash their vomit-stained clothes as there was a shortage of running water so she tried to wash them using bottled water She herself vomited every morning and later discovered she was pregnant She was unable to access medical care while in Manston and when she was released and could seek treatment it was discovered that the baby had died inside her After she and her children were released from Manston she was finally able to reunite with her husband but says that the impact of being detained in Manston continues to affect them all who is representing some of those bringing legal action relating to their time at Manston said: “We consider that our clients were falsely imprisoned and that the conditions in Manston were such that their human rights were breached People seeking asylum are more vulnerable to physical and mental illness; they have the right to be treated with dignity and should not be detained in this way.” representing others legally challenging their time in Manston said: “The humanitarian crisis that unfolded at Manston in the autumn of 2022 is not what you would expect to see in a country with well-developed systems for accommodating refugees Our clients want the truth about how it happened who let it happen and how to prevent this from happening again.” Sign up to our What's On newsletter for a weekly email covering the best of Kent's food Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters tickets for the weekend event are now on sale with an early bird discount on offer until May 31 Organisers have promised two action-packed days of aviation excitement for guests to enjoy featuring a range of displays which will explore Manston’s rich history as an airfield Among the confirmed vehicles taking part is the Muscle Biplane which has been specifically engineered with a superb power to weight ratio allowing it to provide some truly spectacular aerial feats for the crowds to witness This will join confirmed acts The Great War Display Team and the OV-10 Bronco from the Bronco Demo Team as well as RAF Falcons Display Team and flypasts from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Typhoon There are still even more additions to the flying programme yet to be announced The excitement does not end in the air either as on the ground there will be live arenas hosting a busy schedule of displays showcasing aviation and transport vehicles from across history These shows will range from military vehicles to classic cars Manston International Airshow organiser Bill Giles said: "The Airshow will have an educational focus and will raise both awareness and money for several national and local charities "We look to celebrate the past, present and future of aviation at the historic Manston Airport this Summer." Find out more on the history of Manston here Adult day ticket (ages 17 and over): £32.30 for early bird or £35.84 from June 1 Child ticket (ages 5 to 16): £14.13 for early bird or £15.63 from June 1 Children under 5 and registered carers: Free two children aged 5 to 16): £81.29 for early bird of £91.39 from June 1 Tickets include free car parking or use of a free shuttle bus service which will be operating from designated local hubs to help reduce traffic to and from the show. Tickets are available through the Manston International Airshow website here Find out more about things to do in Kent with our free What’s On email HERE. Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Home › Comics › RAF Manston History Museum to host two-day comic event in June The RAF Manston History Museum near Ramsgate has announced it will be hosting their second cosplay and comic event Comicon At The Museum in June – and is looking for participants that means there’s opportunity for comic creators to take part Taking place over the weekend of 14th and 15th June 2025, the event in aid of The Hill 112 Memorial Foundation traders and stallholders or “simply someone with collections and merchandise that you think would be interested in participating or displaying at this event” Details of who is already lined up to take part are sketchy at present, but the Star Wars-inspired Droid Builders have announced they will be at the event following on from their Portsmouth Comic Con this weekend Contact events@rafmanston.co.uk if you are interested in trading or being involved RAF Manston History Museum is based on the history of the airfield from 1916 to the present day, including aircraft and artifacts from World War One to modern search-and-rescue operations, and its more recent move into Civil Aviation. Check website for opening times • RAF Manston History Museum Comicon at the Museum 10.00am – 4.00pm Saturday 14th – Sunday 15th June 2025 RAF Manston History Museum, 821 Manston Road, Ramsgate CT12 5DF | Web: rafmanston.co.uk | Facebook | Instagram John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press He’s the writer of  comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood. Tags: , , , , Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. • British and Irish Comic Conventions and SigningsLast Updated: 5th May 2025 • British and Irish Current Comic-Related ExhibitionsLast Updated: 5th May 2025 • 2000AD, Treasury of British Collections and Specials – 2025Last Updated: 20th February 2025 If you have subscribed to the site through our Wordpress "Pop Up" Please support us through a PayPal donation – thank you! we’re proud winners of awards from ComicScene SFX and Tripwire down the years and we’re keen to keep running for you Please note - some interviews and feature items from older versions of the web site are archived. We continue to add these as time permits. The Internet Archive "Wayback" has archived downthetubes since its inception Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive Apr 29, 2025 | There’s some welcome news for aviation fans as show organisers announce the iconic ‘Jet Pitts’ will join the line-up for the much-anticipated Manston International Airshow this August (Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 August 2025) Tickets are now on sale with an Early Bird discount valid until the end of May for anyone planning a Summer adventure in Kent The Jet Pitts is based on the Pitts S2S and has been specially modified for excellent for excellent performance and superb power to weight radio in combination with a six-cylinder 8.5 litre Lycoming 540 engine the Jet Pitts is designed to provide the ultimate in spectacular aerial entertainment Crowds will be entertained by ace pilot Rich Goodwin when the Jet Pitts hovers like a Harrier and performs double-hammerheads and the amazing Tower of Power will form part of the largest ever gathering of these incredible machines on static display at Manston International Airshow to celebrate their milestone anniversary The Jet Pitts joins confirmed acts The Great War Display Team and the OV-10 Bronco from the Bronco Demo Team as well as RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team and flypasts from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Eurofighter Typhoon Further additions to the flying programme to be announced in coming weeks The two-day family-friendly event will celebrate aviation throughout Manston’s history as an airfield from its early development during World War One through its RAF and Cold War years to its more recent commercial and recreational use Visitors can expect to see a range of civilian display teams harking back to the Golden Age of Aviation from the 1920s and ‘30s The ground-based element of the show will also provide something memorable and educational with live arenas showcasing thrilling displays covering over 100 years of aviation and transport history Attractions will include military vehicles and classic cars along with a variety of exhibitors and food concessions Manston International Airshow organiser Bill Giles said: “The Airshow will have an educational focus and will raise both awareness and money for several national and local charities present and future of aviation at the historic Manston Airport this Summer.” is donating the use of the airfield as a venue in order for the event to raise a generous amount of money for the chosen charities Day tickets start at £32.30 for adults aged 17 and over (full price £35.84 from 1 June) and a family day ticket for two adults and two children aged 5-16 at £81.29 (full price £91.39 from 1 June) There are also concessions and children under five and registered Carers go free Tickets include free car parking or use of a free shuttle bus service which will be operating from designated local hubs to help reduce traffic to and from the show To buy tickets and for more information about the show and full terms and conditions go to the website: www.manstoninternationalairshow.com For trade and sponsorship enquiries please go to the website: https://manstoninternationalairshow.com/traders-and-exhibitors/ and https://manstoninternationalairshow.com/sponsorship Or email: tradeandsponsors@manstoninternationalairshow.com Court documents contain admissions by officials that they were unable to control the situation at the Kent facility where 18,000 asylum seekers were illegally detained Home Office officials have admitted that “we completely lost our grip” on the situation at a notorious asylum processing centre that led to 18,000 people being unlawfully detained in horrific conditions Read moreGovernment documents disclosed in the high court last week reveal that the situation at Manston was much worse than news reports originally suggested But the court also heard that uncovering the truth may prove difficult because “it appears no steps have been taken to preserve and obtain relevant WhatsApp messages” Three former home secretaries, Priti Patel, Grant Shapps and Suella Braverman as well as two ex-prime ministers – Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak – may now have to appear at an official inquiry Asylum seekers were supposed to be held at Manston for no more than 24 hours but the new documents show that 18,000 people – out of a total of 29,000 processed between June and November 2022 – were detained there for much longer The government may now be forced to pay out tens of millions of pounds in compensation Manston opened to process small boat arrivals in January 2022 conditions had deteriorated sharply as better weather for Channel crossings led to more and more arrivals The situation became critical in the autumn of 2022 which was designed to hold a maximum of 1,600 people On 19 November, Kurdish asylum seeker Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, who was processed at Manston died in hospital after contracting diphtheria decided to downgrade it to an independent one that has fewer powers to compel witnesses such as former home secretaries to attend She cited the projected costs of the planned inquiry – about £26m – as a reason for downgrading it to a much cheaper inquiry focusing on a review of documents In a legal challenge against this decision that opened in the high court last week new information was disclosed for the first time by the government revealing the scale of what went wrong at Manston in the period from 1 June to 22 November 2022 The documents also show that Home Office staff had no reliable data about Manston between September and November 2022 “as we completely lost our grip on it” Lawyers for the asylum seekers bringing the high court challenge said in their written submissions: “It appears to be uncontroversial that there was large-scale law-breaking by the defendants’ department [the Home Office]” adding that multiple members of staff are involved in “allegations of systemic failure” and that there is a need to examine “questions of management and institutional culture” One of the main questions the lawyers hope the inquiry will try to answer is whether either Patel or Braverman gave an order to stop transferring newly arrived asylum seekers from Manston to hotels because of criticism over the use of expensive accommodation to house them – a decision that led to the overcrowding crisis at the processing centre According to documents submitted to the court: “In June 2022 operational commanders at Manston were told that ‘the hotel pipeline has been switched off’.” who is representing some of the asylum seekers in the case said: “The numbers likely detained unlawfully at Manston are entirely unprecedented and the conditions they were held in were deplorable “An independent inquiry will need the powers and resources to properly understand how this happened to learn lessons and prevent an incident like this occurring again.” Home Office sources said they do not comment on continuing legal proceedings Patel and Braverman were approached for comment This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media The government has announced an inquiry into the deterioration of conditions at the Manston asylum processing centre in 2022 and the Home Office’s handling of the incident The Home Office emptied out the centre in November 2022 after the death of a detained asylum seeker months of criticism, and the threat of legal action over “overcrowded unhygienic and unsafe” conditions and an alleged violation of people’s rights not be arbitrarily detained The announcement of an inquiry follows up on a commitment in March 2024 from the then-Conservative government and home secretary James Cleverly Cleverly had agreed to hold a statutory inquiry but Labour has decided it will be an Article 3 ECHR non-statutory independent inquiry In a statement made to the House of Commons today who is minister for border security and asylum said the inquiry will investigate the conditions encountered by detainees at Manston Short-Term Holding Facility between June and November 2022 Eagle said the inquiry should also investigate whether there are lessons to be learned regarding the Home Office’s handling of the incident The inquiry’s terms of reference say it will also investigate: The inquiry should not make findings regarding the current running of Manston “but regard may be had to changes made and actions taken following the incident to inform recommendations” Eagle said the Home Office will provide support to the inquiry and ensure it has the resources needed to fulfil its terms of reference She added that the government “will make no comment on issues which are now in the purview of the inquiry until it has concluded but we will encourage all current and former public officials with evidence to provide to the Inquiry to cooperate with its requests for assistance.” Read the most recent articles written by Tevye Markson - Crisis response handbook update sets out more prominent role for Cabinet Office Registered in England & Wales under No. 07291783 © Political Holdings Limited document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Former prime ministers, home secretaries and senior civil servants listed as potential witnesses to inquiry into chaos at Manston migrant processing centre in autumn 2022 Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. home secretaries and senior civil servants listed as potential witnesses to inquiry into chaos at Manston migrant processing centre in autumn 2022 I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Former prime ministers, home secretaries and senior civil servants could be called to testify in an ongoing inquiry into unlawful conditions at a migrant processing centre. A newly-released Home Office brief has revealed the potential scope of the inquiry into the overcrowding crisis at Manston detention centre in the autumn of 2022. Incidents at Manston included a death in custody and Home Office officials charged with conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public office has been made public after an application by The Independent The Guardian and the BBC to a High Court Judge It was prepared for home secretary Yvette Cooper a few weeks after Labour won the general election in July last year Ms Cooper was told that “the investigation of the conditions at Manston will probably be reputationally damaging for the Home Office” More than 18,000 people arrived on small boats to the UK between August and November 2022 with almost all of them being detained and held at Manston People were forced to sleep on damp and mouldy wooden flooring without adequate bedding denied warm clothing and footwear and unable to access clean clothes The site opened as a processing centre in February 2022 with small-boat migrants meant to be held there for short periods after arriving in the UK to undergo checks They would then be moved into Home Office asylum accommodation The site was meant to have capacity for between 1,000 and 1,600 people with migrants staying there for under 14 hours but by 31 October 2022 there were around 4,000 people at Manston Migrants were held at the site for far too long with one family reportedly held for 32 days and one migrant 31-year-old Hussein Haseeb Ahmed died in hospital on 19 November after contracting the disease The medical cause of death was un-ascertained but an inquest heard that he had been suffering from breathlessness An independent inquiry into the crisis has been set up The internal brief also lists a number of allegations that were raised with the Home Office about the worrying conditions at Manston breaches of the European Convention of Human Rights breaches of the duty to safeguard children Phones were unlawfully seized from residents and property and money was confiscated and never returned according to concerns flagged to the Home Office in October and November 2022 The brief identifies key individuals who will likely be called up to the inquiry, which was launched in March this year. These include three former home secretaries, Priti Patel, Suella Braverman and Grant Shapps as well as five former immigration ministers the Home Office’s most senior civil servant Matthew Rycroft at the time and a litany of officials from immigration enforcement The brief, drawn up by the legal director at the Home Office, also lists Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Ben Wallace as ministers who will likely be asked to give evidence about how their decision making impacted the crisis at Manston in 2022. Charlotte Khan, Head of Advocacy and Public Affairs at Care4Calais said: “This is a damning charge list, and speaks to the scale of the scandal that ensued at Manston in late 2022. “Reputational damage should be the least of the Home Office’s worries. People who were unlawfully held at Manston have long told us about the inhumane conditions they were kept under, but this briefing makes it clear that three senior Conservative politicians are in the dock for overseeing the unlawful detention of people, including children, alleged human rights breaches, and a death in custody. “This was no way to treat fellow humans, and those in power at the time must be held accountable for the decisions made under their watch. The Inquiry must serve justice for those subjected to this cruelty at Manston.” A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary acted on the advice she was given to establish an independent inquiry into events at the Manston short-term holding facility between June and November 2022, in line with the commitments made by her predecessors, and on the terms agreed through the subsequent legal process. “That inquiry will now proceed and we are supporting it fully, but it would be inappropriate to comment further whilst it is ongoing.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies govt and politics"},{"score":0.734495,"label":"/law Nov 25, 2024 | The organisers for the Manston International Airshow have today (25th November 2024) unveiled plans for a major new airshow on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August 2025 at Manston Airport which will be run as a not-for-profit event to raise funds for charity who is well known in Kent as the organiser of the long-running and successful Weald of Kent Steam and Country Show owned by RiverOak Strategic Partners (RiverOak) will play host to a dynamic two-day programme of displays Giles also confirmed that the Airshow will have an educational focus and will raise both awareness and money for a number of national and local charities Details of charity partners will be announced in due course while the Official Flight Programme will be announced in the Spring when the UK Armed Forces air display’s 2025 schedule is confirmed The family-friendly event will celebrate aviation throughout Manston’s history as an airfield The developing line-up will feature both flying and static aircraft trainers and WW2 fighters to Cold War and modern jets as the event also commemorates the 85th anniversary of The Battle of Britain and marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day Visitors can also expect to see a range of civilian display teams such as the Bronco Demo Team and flying circus displays The two on-site museums – The RAF Manston History Museum and The Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum – will be open all weekend with special activities during the Show said: “We are delighted to be able to host this major event at Manston which celebrates its long and important history We look forward to working with Bill and the team to help make the airshow a great success for everyone.” Airshow organiser Bill Giles said: “It has been a long-held ambition to bring a large-scale airshow back to Kent with something for enthusiasts of all ages from classic aircraft to high energy aerobatics But I also want it to help raise awareness of and funds for a number of charities which are close to my heart and that of the aviation community My aim is for profits from the event to go to local and partner charities and we will be announcing these in due course.” Commenting on logistical arrangements for the event he continued: “As an experienced event organiser I know the critical importance of logistical planning Traffic management discussions have already begun to ensure that travel and parking at the show is as seamless and smooth as possible We will be working with all relevant parties to create accessible public transport solutions and we are also consulting with major event and airshow experts regarding safety and security.” The official Manston International Airshow website is now live at www.manstoninternationalairshow.com to provide regular updates on plans Local businesses who would like to participate in the show as exhibitors and potential sponsorship partners should visit the website to apply Asylum seekers who fled to UK to escape persecution said they endured abuse and squalor at centre in Kent physical assaults and no beds: asylum seekers tell of brutal conditions at Manston migrant centreThis article is more than 5 months oldAsylum seekers who fled to UK to escape persecution said they endured abuse and squalor at centre in Kent he said the conditions he found there were so alarming it left him “speechless” People were crammed on the dirty floors of marquees to sleep there was inadequate access to medical care and new arrivals were referred to by a number on a wristband rather than by their name The asylum seekers bringing the legal challenge against the government’s decision to downgrade the planned inquiry said they endured brutal and unacceptable conditions One woman was held at Manston for 21 days and was forced to live and sleep in an overcrowded room with more than 100 detainees She feared for her safety and said there were regular fights She was referred to by a number she had been assigned which was based on the boat she had travelled on and was allocated by officials who had counted how many people were on board Another man said he was detained for six days and only had three square metres of personal space to live in He claimed he had to eat on a wet and muddy floor suffered racist abuse and was assaulted by guards dragged him along the ground and kicked his head and body Temporary buildings constructed at the Manston short-term holding facility for asylum seekers in Kent in December 2022 Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PAHome Office lawyers claimed the man had attacked a guard and was subsequently restrained According to documents submitted to the court, repeated advice was given to the then home secretary that Manston “was not operating lawfully”. Read moreOne family – a mother, father and two young children – who had travelled overland from Iran to northern France by foot and car in a journey taking more than a month, arrived at the processing centre at the beginning of October 2022. They said they were horrified by what they saw after being taken to a marquee on the site, soaking wet and chilled to the bone. The mother said: “We thought they would only keep us there for a day or two but we were locked up there for nearly 30 days. We had to sleep on filthy cardboard in the marquee with the children because there was nothing else for us. We were so frightened for our children – that place wasn’t safe for them. The situation in Manston was drastic.” They had been forced to leave Iran after experiencing repeated raids on their home by government officials because they opposed the regime. Once in Manston, she said, they were only allowed outside for an hour a day. Their phones were confiscated, preventing them from contacting their family to tell them they had survived the Channel crossing. “After two years, we have not yet recovered from what happened to us at Manston,” the mother said. This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media. Exclusive: Lawyers say Manston immigration centre became extremely overcrowded in November 2022 leading to the site being temporarily closed down The Home Office has made a U-turn on a decision to launch a statutory inquiry into the alleged mistreatment of asylum seekers at Manston processing centre Government ministers have decided that they will back a quicker non-statutory investigation instead, reversing the decision of former home secretary James Cleverly in March It comes after more than 10,000 people passed through the Kent detention centre between October and December 2022 The former military base was emptied at the end of November 2022 after it was revealed there was severe overcrowding at the site with migrants reportedly sleeping on cardboard and one man dying of diphtheria Sixteen claimants who were held at the site have brought legal action against the home secretary arguing that there should be a statutory inquiry into the “deplorable conditions and mistreatment suffered by thousands of detainees” Lawyers for asylum seekers have argued for a statutory inquiry which would have powers to compel the production of documents public hearings and funded legal representation – something they argue won’t happen in a non-statutory investigation Labour’s U-turn will put them back on track for a November clash in the courts with the lawyers representing asylum seekers who were held at the camp in Kent A statutory inquiry could have led to former home secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman being compelled to give evidence over the political decisions that led to overcrowded conditions in 2022. Lawyers have alleged that then-home secretary Ms Braverman knew that conditions were deteriorating at the site and that thousands of detained asylum seekers were being held unlawfully but she did not take necessary steps to alleviate the situation Ms Braverman has insisted she was not at fault for the crisis and did not “block” the use of hotels for asylum seekers at the site. Mr Cleverly’s decision to grant a statutory inquiry had put an end to the legal action, but following the Labour government’s decision in September to have a non-statutory investigation, the judicial review will be back in the courts at the end of November. The Home Office is also considering granting compensation to asylum seekers who were mistreated at the immigration site, The Independent understands. Manston, which is still in use as a processing centre, accommodates adults and children who have just arrived in the UK on small boats. In the autumn of 2022 it became so overcrowded that asylum seekers were forced to living in tent accommodation with inadequate sanitation. Asylum seekers alleged that they had been assaulted and racially abused at the site. One family with young children was forced to sleep on flattened cardboard boxes, lawyers said. People should not be held at Manston for more than 24 hours, but in some cases asylum seekers were held there for more than a month. {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"PA-75197454.jpg","description":"A view of the Manston immigration short-term holding facility located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre as work continues to increase capacity at the site in Thanet, Kent. Picture date: Tuesday January 30, 2024.","caption":"Asylum seekers are only meant to spend 24 hours at the Manston processing centre Asylum seekers are only meant to spend 24 hours at the Manston processing centre govt and politics"},{"score":0.888122,"label":"/law Ex-secretaries of state and ministers could also be required to take part in hearings into Manston scandal A roll-call of former UK prime ministers secretaries of state and ministers could be called to give evidence into a scandal at a controversial processing centre in Kent for small boat arrivals according to an internal government memo disclosed to the Guardian a former military base used as a short-term detention facility to process people who crossed the Channel in dinghies “will probably be reputationally damaging for the Home Office” Those listed included the former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, the former home secretaries Priti Patel, Grant Shapps and Suella Braverman and other ministers and officials from various government departments Manston started accepting asylum seekers in February 2022 but by the summer of that year had become completely overwhelmed taking in 4,000 people at a site built to accommodate 1,600 Poor conditions led to outbreaks of infectious conditions including diphtheria and scabies and a 31-year-old man from Iraq, Hussein Haseeb Ahmed Detainees were referred to by numbers on the wristbands they were given rather than by name At the beginning of 2024, the then home secretary, James Cleverly, agreed to hold a public inquiry into what went wrong at Manston in the second half of 2022, but when Yvette Cooper became home secretary in July 2024 she decided to scale back the inquiry which would not be able to compel former ministers or prime ministers to give evidence about the role they played in events at Manston Judicial review proceedings were launched to challenge Cooper’s decision During the course of these proceedings in November 2024 counsel challenging the home secretary’s decision to scale back the inquiry referenced in open court an internal government document that had been disclosed late the previous evening It was an information note to Cooper alerting her to the key issues that had arisen at Manston Guardian News & Media (GNM) was in court for the hearing but when a request was made to the government later that day for a copy of the note GNM then joined with the BBC and the Independent to make an application to the court for the internal document made an order granting the internal document to the media she said: “I am satisfied that the balance falls in favour of granting disclosure Disclosure will further the open justice principle and the topic is one of significant public interest on which there will be legitimate reporting by journalists.” The eight-page information note to Cooper dated 24 July 2024 and marked “official sensitive: legally privileged Not to be disclosed beyond named recipients” contains a list of 16 individuals or groups of individuals who may be required to give evidence at a statutory inquiry it also lists five former immigration ministers ministers and officials from the Cabinet Office along with the current permanent secretary at the Home Office current and former directors general and an unspecified number of officials from the Home Office’s immigration enforcement The note says preparation for the future investigation into Manston is being led by Home Office legal advisers and the Home Office team established to respond to the UK’s Covid 19 inquiry It adds that an “initial chronology” of issues at Manston has been drawn up to support the department to act “with candour and frankness” and to make full disclosure of relevant documents The note says: “The investigation of the conditions at Manston will probably be reputationally damaging for the Home Office.” It highlights five key issues to be examined including the death in custody of Ahmed on 19 November 2022 the unlawful detention of adults and children between May and November 2022 the unlawful use of hotels for unaccompanied asylum seeker children which were being used as unregulated children’s homes and officers arrested for conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public office on 21 October and 6 December 18 separate allegations and concerns about Manston were raised by a series of individuals and organisations including the then archbishop of Canterbury who raised concerns about safeguarding and welfare of children on the site the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants Allegations raised include threats to life breach of human rights legislation that prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment unlawful seizure of asylum seekers’ phones and other property breaches of fire safety and of food safety legislation along with concerns about a lack of toilets and hand-washing facilities The independent inquiry into events at Manston in the second half of 2022 began its work in the middle of last month treatment of asylum seekers there and whether more could have been done between the period of 1 June to 22 November 2022 The chair may hold some hearings in public A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary acted on the advice she was given to establish an independent inquiry into events at the Manston short-term holding facility between June and November 2022 in line with the commitments made by her predecessors and on the terms agreed through the subsequent legal process “That inquiry will now proceed and we are supporting it fully but it would be inappropriate to comment further whilst it is ongoing.” Asylum seekers formally held at Manston will get funded legal representation after challenging Home Office decision Asylum seekers will receive funded legal representation at an inquiry into a catalogue of failures at a centre in Kent where small boat arrivals are processed a short-term holding facility outside Ramsgate was established in January 2022 to deal with the increasing numbers of asylum seekers crossing the Channel to the UK in dinghies By the second half of that year it had descended into chaos. Despite reports that ministers at the time were repeatedly warned about the unfolding crisis problems continued for several months between the late summer of 2022 until its temporary closure in November of that year Sixteen Manston detainees challenged a decision by Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, to downgrade an inquiry into what happened there from a statutory public inquiry, which can compel witnesses to give evidence under oath, to a non-statutory inquiry with no funded legal representation for the asylum seekers involved. But just days before a high court hearing was due to take place, the Home Office agreed to “upgrade” the inquiry again. In a high court order agreed this week, the Home Office accepted there would be an independent inquiry which will be held in public and include funded legal representation for claimants as the chair of the inquiry, whose appointment has yet to be confirmed, “sees fit”, along with “effective access to documents”. It will still be a non-statutory inquiry. Read moreThe situation at Manston became critical in the autumn of 2022 The overcrowding led to an outbreak of diphtheria and scabies Asylum seekers were forced to sleep on filthy floors or flattened cardboard boxes while toilets were overflowing with faeces Women and children were forced to sleep close to unrelated men and there were claims of assaults by guards About 18,000 people – out of a total of 29,000 processed between June and November 2022 – were detained there beyond the 24-hour limit The longest recorded period of detention was 32 days On 19 November, a Kurdish asylum seeker, Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, who was processed at Manston, died in hospital after contracting diphtheria. Calls by asylum seekers and human rights organisations for a full investigation into what went wrong at Manston have hit various roadblocks. Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters A public inquiry was requested in November 2022 by asylum seekers held there. In March 2024 the then home secretary, James Cleverly, agreed to a statutory public inquiry. Cooper’s decision upon reaching office to opt for a non-statutory inquiry, with no requirement to hold hearings in public, is thought to have been made to save money. Lewis Kett, a solicitor from Duncan Lewis who represents several of the claimants, said: “The inquiry will be vital to ensure that lessons are learned and any repetition of the crisis at Manston can be avoided.” In separate legal proceedings, more than 100 former detainees held at Manston for more than 24 hours are suing the Home Office for unlawful detention there. Settlement of these claims could cost the government tens of millions of pounds. The Home Office declined to comment on this week’s high court order, although sources said their commitment to conduct an Article 3 compliant investigation into what went wrong at Manston, which examines inhuman or degrading treatment, has been consistent throughout. will be investigated as part of an independent inquiry set to open next month Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said the probe which was first approved under the former Tory government Lawyers for some of the migrants who were held at the site had argued for a statutory inquiry which can compel witnesses to give evidence under oath and to which the previous administration agreed last March But Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has opted instead for a non-statutory inquiry reversing her predecessor James Cleverly’s decision Announcing new details of the investigation on Wednesday Dame Angela said it would be chaired by Sophie Cartwright KC a senior barrister with past experience of inquests and inquiries The investigation will look at the "decisions actions and circumstances which led to" the conditions at Manston and examine whether there are "lessons to be learned" regarding the Home Office’s handling of the incident The situation at Manston was said to have reached a nadir in 2022 after concerns were raised about overcrowding at the site which has a 1,600-person capacity but was holding 4,000 people in November that year Health authorities said at the time that migrants at the site which is used to process people who have arrived by small boats to the UK would be vaccinated against diphtheria after an outbreak of the highly contagious disease in England Lawyers acting for some 96 asylum seekers at the centre have said they had faced “egregious conditions” including "instances of humiliation" that affected their "personal hygiene and wellbeing" Dame Angela said on Wednesday: "The Government will make no comment on issues which are now in the purview of the inquiry until it has concluded but we will encourage all current and former public officials with evidence to provide to the inquiry to co-operate with its requests for assistance." 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All the Children’s Commissioner’s work is driven by what children told us is important to them “My advocacy team visited Manston in Kent this week in response to concerns raised regarding the welfare of children and families arriving there I have shared those concerns with the Home Office and the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration with a change in weather and a spike in numbers arriving and children’s welfare must be the absolute top priority – without exception and regardless of their immigration status My staff and I will continue to make regular visits; they are an important part of my work to keep those responsible for vulnerable children to account.” Nick Ferrari At Breakfast is Leading Britain's Conversation Fresh figures reveal Tory ministers splashed the money maintaining eight tents at the holding facility in Kent over 16 months between May 2022 and September 2023 the Home Office said it would start a statutory inquiry into conditions at Manston following reports of overcrowding and disease A Labour peer told LBC she was “appalled” by the cost and urged the government to complete a public inquiry into what she called a “financial and human rights scandal” who is a barrister and human rights activist said: “We're talking about millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money alongside deeply offensive Read more: Three dead after packed migrant boat sinks in Channel Read more: Tourists face further delays as France ramps up border controls amid concerns over terrorism and migrant crisis senior officials and private contractors that were involved.” Manston sources said conditions were “deplorable” with thousands of migrants sleeping on “grass and cardboard boxes” during the period covered by LBC’s figures The marquees have a capacity of around 2,200 people but it is widely reported numbers regularly exceeded that figure including for people detained longer than one day Baroness Chakrabarti comments on the Home Secretary's choice of travel to Manston It is understood the marquees are still used as and when required by the arrival of migrants on small boats A freedom of information request was submitted to the Home Office in July 2023 but officials did not return a response until a year later told LBC: “The dates that you've got when they provided the information for was when Manston was at its worst “[The marquees] were massively overcrowded We heard stories of children sleeping sitting up “Those marquees were not in any way shape or form weatherproof or heated so they were absolutely freezing conditions in winter.” then Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick also introduced the Short-term Holding Facility (Amendment) Rules 2022 Where detainees could previously be held for a maximum of 24 hours in the Manston Reception Centre it was extended to 96 hours or even longer with approval from the Home Secretary The updated rules also meant detainees were no longer guaranteed accommodation separated by sex A source in the Prison Officers’ Association told LBC conditions were “deplorable” for both detainees and colleagues “Residents were forced to sleep on plywood boards on grass and hard standings,” they told LBC The panel debate over the deportation of illegal migrants back to unsafe countries “Our members found themselves intervening in fights between residents who were squabbling over cardboard boxes to sleep on to provide insulation from the ground “At one point there were over 2,500 residents in Marquees without a single bed or mattress on site.” Sir Keir Starmer’s government invited firms to bid on a contract worth £521m to continue operating Manston and another site Millions spent on marquees has contributed to what the Institute for Fiscal Studies recently described as “woeful budgeting” by the Home Office which it said resulted in a £7.6billion over-spend Some wedding-style marquees of similar capacities have been advertised online for less than £10,000 but the Government spent £700,000 to install and maintain just the temporary flooring of Manston’s eight marquees In February 2024 then Home Secretary James Cleverly also said an emergency £2.6bn was needed to top up the spend on housing asylum seekers in hotel rooms It was previously reported by the National Audit Office in December 2023 the cost of 64,000 hotel beds was £274m The Home Office was unable to say when an inquiry into Manston will begin but it is understood information will follow in due course See more More Latest News See more Latest News See more The News Explained See more Royals See more Highlights & Opinion See more More Topics Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox The Home Office is seeking the views of residents and business owners on plans to create a “more fit-for-purpose” reception centre for asylum-seekers at the former Manston airport site the Home Office has been operating a reception and processing centre at the former RAF base in Manston for people who arrive in the UK by small boats the centre has come under fire from charities and officials for massive overcrowding and ill-treatment of detainees The Home Office is planning to replace the current temporary infrastructure with a purpose-built processing centre It has launched a consultation into the plans ahead of seeking planning permission and a letter has been sent to nearby residents A Home Office document states that the site is assessed to be the only suitable one available within the east Kent area that could accommodate such a facility in terms of proximity to points of arrival and the ownership and availability of land The consultation document says: “The site area measures approximately 37.6 hectares and comprises 48 buildings The existing reception and processing centre at the site was opened in 2021 to strengthen the Home Office capability to bring those who arrive into the UK through small boats quickly into the immigration system “People arriving that are brought to the reception centre only stay at the facility for a short period of time so arrivals cannot freely enter or leave the facility arrivals move on to accommodation around the UK.” The Home Office says the plans for the new processing centres come after work has taken place over the past year to improve the current facilities and support services The new facilities are expected to make the site more efficient In August we reported that a group of 96 migrants previously held at the Manston processing centre were suing the Government over claims they were subjected to “ill-treatment” by staff Lawyers acting for the asylum seekers say they were “unlawfully detained” at the short-term holding facility in Kent for varying periods between September and November 2022 The individuals said they faced “egregious conditions” that affected their “personal hygiene and wellbeing” At one point there were 4,000 people being detained at the site which is designed to hold just 1,600 people a man staying at the Manston processing centre died after contracting diphtheria The development will include the demolition of at least five existing unused buildings to allow the new buildings to be constructed The site will also house a new training facility for staff and a waste treatment centre Work to redevelop the existing entrance will help ease traffic and there will be new fencing around the site boundary The plans say measures have been devised to minimise the impact on the natural environment including conservation of wildlife on the site Residents have until October 1 to voice their views on the proposal. For more information and to have your say, visit homeoffice.citizenspace.com/mtp/8ea74d37/ Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE. Rachel de Souza to visit processing facility in Kent as source claims Home Office guidelines are not being followed there The children’s commissioner for England is due to visit Manston, the Home Office centre in Kent where small boat arrivals are processed after concerns were raised about the treatment of children there It is not the first time the children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has intervened over the welfare of child asylum seekers. In a letter in January 2023 to the then home secretary she raised concerns about reports that children had gone missing from Home Office accommodation The Guardian understands that De Souza now has concerns about how children are processed at Manston – both those who are part of family units and those who are unaccompanied and are determined by Home Office officials to be adults despite insisting they are children “The Home Office’s own guidelines on processing children at Manston are not being followed,” one source working at Manston told the Guardian “There is a narrative that it is only young single men crossing the Channel in small boats but there are families children who have been told by the Home Office that they’re adults It’s almost as if they’re pretending that there aren’t any children at Manston “Just a few days ago, I heard a child insisting to officials that he was 16 but he kept being told that was wrong and he was an adult. Children are not being properly age-assessed.” Other concerns include the way children are processed alongside people that the source said may be traffickers There has recently been an influx of young Vietnamese women arriving in small boats and some are believed to be accompanied by people who have brought them to the UK intending to exploit them here “It’s a very hostile environment for children at Manston,” the source said “The new arrivals often haven’t slept for days but small children here with parents are woken up in the night to do Home Office screening interviews and are sometimes forced to listen to harrowing accounts of rape and torture their parents give to officials when they are interviewed.” A second source at Manston said: “I have never before worked in an environment where the most vulnerable people are mixed with others who are potentially dangerous I have written to managers about the toxic environment at Manston but nothing ever seems to get done.” A group of UN special rapporteurs recently raised concerns about rapid age assessment of newly arrived child asylum seekers leading to some children being treated as adults Manston hit the headlines in the latter part of 2022 over a catalogue of problems including an outbreak of diphtheria – one man processed through Manston died after contracting it – severe overcrowding people being dumped on the streets of central London after being moved out and claims of assaults by some of the guards Although asylum seekers are only supposed to spend 24 hours at Manston some spent more than a month there during that period At least 96 asylum seekers who were at Manston at that time are bringing claims for false imprisonment misfeasance in public office and human rights breaches which works with unaccompanied asylum-seeker children hundreds of children wrongly treated as adults have spent days and previously sometimes weeks held there Children have told us that despite repeatedly telling staff there they are children and exposed to significant harm and trauma whilst having their screening interviews at Manston are again telling immigration officers that they are children no steps are taken to safeguard or protect them.” The office of the children’s commissioner for England confirmed that they were due to visit Manston imminently after a series of concerns were raised with them about the welfare of children A Home Office spokesperson said: “The treatment of unaccompanied children is taken very seriously by the Home Office and they are not routinely taken to Manston Those who arrive with their families are accommodated separately from single adult males and the health and wellbeing of all arrivals is taken seriously at every stage of the process.” This article was amended on 8 July 2024 to add a statement from the Home Office that was received after publication.