Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Lucy Bourne has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to house hundreds of migrants in an East Sussex town.

Driven by “public concern on the issue”, a Labour minister claimed, the Government has decided to house almost 1,000 asylum seekers on former military bases from November.

Nine hundred migrants will be moved into the Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex.

Claiming the party is “grappling at straws” to handle the migrant crisis, Ms Bourne explained just how concerned Crowborough resident are at the plans.

Speaking to GB News presenter Martin Daubney, Ms Bourne admitted that she was “worried” at the idea for Crowborough, with a population of approximately 20,000.

“Crowborough is a very rural town,” she told Martin. “It’s got a very small population.

“We’re hearing of 600 migrants or undocumented migrants coming over on the boats. So we’re looking at young men.

“We know that they don’t necessarily adhere to the cultures of this country. So I can totally understand why people are worried about it as indeed I am, too.”

Ms Bourne added that approximately half a mile from the barracks is a special needs school with “young, very vulnerable children”.

She further expressed concern that there would be insufficient funds to support the police force, mentioning that she is in discussions with the Chief Constable.

Under the former Tory Government, Crowborough Training Camp had been deemed “unfit for habitation”, the police and crime commissioner told Martin.

“It would have cost too much to bring it up to standards. And also it goes against the local council’s planning policies too.

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“So for just those reasons alone, I am absolutely astounded that this has just happened.”

“Katy Bourne, there’s an old phrase, the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Why will there be a different outcome now?” Martin asked.

In agreement, Ms Bourne concurred, adding: “There really won’t be, you’re spot on. That is the definition of insanity.”

Warning Labour that she would work to fight against the decision, she added: “Well, goodness knows! They’re just grappling at straws at the moment at the expense of local communities like ours in Sussex.”

Defending the plan, Defence Minister Luke Pollard told The People’s Channel: “What we’ve done is we’ve listened to communities from across the country who are expressing quite rightly concern around the number of asylum hotels in their communities.

“The Prime Minister has made the commitment to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament, but we want to do it faster, and he has asked all Government departments to step up, and the Ministry of Defence is stepping up.”

He added: “We’re supporting our Home Office colleagues in looking at what are the bases that we have that we’re not using for military purposes today, that can be used to accelerate the closure of asylum hotels, as well as helping the Home Office keep the focus on processing applications faster.

“Twenty four per cent of that backlog we inherited is already gone, but we know there’s a lot more to do, and I think the MoD can and is stepping up to support that whole of Government.”

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