{"id":202543,"date":"2026-06-25T15:31:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T15:31:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/25\/inverness-barracks-asylum-seeker-plan-dropped-says-mp\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T15:31:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T15:31:26","slug":"inverness-barracks-asylum-seeker-plan-dropped-says-mp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/25\/inverness-barracks-asylum-seeker-plan-dropped-says-mp\/","title":{"rendered":"Inverness barracks asylum seeker plan dropped, says MP"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A scheme to house up to 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in Inverness has been dropped by the UK government, according to a Highland MP.<\/b><\/p>\n

The Home Office originally wanted to move people into the barracks by early December and use the site for 12 months, but the plans were delayed.<\/p>\n

Angus MacDonald, Lib Dem MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, said he has been told by UK Border Security Minister Alex Norris that the plan has been dropped.<\/p>\n

The UK Government wanted use the site as part of drive to close asylum hotels, which led to campaigns in support and in opposition.<\/p>\n

MacDonald said: “This is the right outcome, and it is a result of the strength of feeling shown by residents, and by the military families connected to Cameron Barracks who made their concerns heard from the very start.”<\/p>\n

He added: “There was also a strong local feeling that the site itself was simply too close to the city centre, schools and residential areas. <\/p>\n

“The sense of closing asylum hotels in town centres in the South of England while opening an Inverness asylum barracks similarly poorly located defied logic.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

In early December people took part in demonstrations near the 140-year-old base in Inverness city centre.<\/p>\n

One was organised by Highlands Against Hate, which supports refugees coming to Scotland, and another involved supporters of anti-illegal immigration group Peterhead United.<\/p>\n

A potential stumbling block to the proposals was that Highland Council believed the barracks would need to be licensed as a house of multiple occupancy.<\/p>\n

Usually, an HMO is a property rented out by at least three unrelated people who share the bathroom or toilet and kitchen.<\/p>\n

A licence can last for three years.<\/p>\n

In March, Highland Council said it had initial discussions with the Home Office on an HMO, but it had not received a licence application.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The UK government previously said it was “furious” at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, Asylum seekers have moved into Crowborough training camp in East Sussex.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson told BBC Scotland News earlier this year: “This government will close every asylum hotel. <\/p>\n

“Work is well underway, with more suitable sites, such as military bases, being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs.<\/p>\n

“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery.”<\/p>\n

The Home Office has been asked for a comment.<\/p>\n

It is an offence to come to the UK without permission, although international law says refugees should not be penalised for illegal entry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Scotland’s social justice secretary, Shirley Anne Somerville, said the Scottish government – along with Highland Council and NHS Highland – repeatedly raised questions around the practical suitability of the site.<\/p>\n

She said: “The UK government failed to adequately answer these questions.<\/p>\n

“The reported decision not to proceed is in the best interests of the local community and the people who would have been accommodated at the site.”<\/p>\n

Somerville said Scotland had a long history of welcoming people of all nationalities and faiths, including those seeking refuge and asylum from war and persecution. <\/p>\n

Highland Council said it had received no written confirmation of the UK government’s plans.<\/p>\n

Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Tim Eagle, said Inverness residents would be relieved that the UK government had “finally seen sense and abandoned this misguided plan”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A scheme to house up to 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in Inverness has been dropped by the UK government, according to a Highland MP. The Home Office originally wanted to move people into the barracks by early December and use the site for 12 months, but the plans were delayed. Angus MacDonald, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-202543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nInverness barracks asylum seeker plan dropped, says MP - Tahrir News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/25\/inverness-barracks-asylum-seeker-plan-dropped-says-mp\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inverness barracks asylum seeker plan dropped, says MP\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A scheme to house up to 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in Inverness has been dropped by the UK government, according to a Highland MP. 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