Concern for asylum seekers at heart of Linton-on-Ouse protests - Yorkshire Post Letters

From: The Rt Rev Dr John Thomson Bishop of Selby, Diocese of York.

Like many others, I oppose the siting of an asylum seeker reception centre at the former RAF Base in Linton-on-Ouse.

I recently met with local residents in Linton, and we reflected together that Yorkshire has a long history of welcoming refugees; barely a dozen miles away another former RAF base at East Moor became home to a community of displaced families from eastern Europe for a decade at the end of the Second World War.

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Linton villagers protesting. Pic: PA.Linton villagers protesting. Pic: PA.
Linton villagers protesting. Pic: PA.
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Many of their descendants have become part of the local community, since those refugees were able over time to integrate into the structures of collective life and neighbourliness of the district.

At Linton-on-Ouse, I was made very aware of local people’s concerns that the former military site and its village setting are not suitable for up to 1,500 single, traumatised men; it lacks access to many of the most basic services for advice and community support.

The abrupt and token nature of the consultation about the proposal by the Government has led to fear, anxiety and anger in the community. There is no crude hostility to refugees, but a principled concern for their welfare.

I suggest that the present policy is the wrong one and that Linton is the wrong place, although if the Government presses ahead we will nevertheless work with others as best we can to support both the asylum seekers and local community.

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Our Christian faith impels us to work for humane treatment of vulnerable people; this along with respect for local residents must be central to any such asylum policy. Both are seriously lacking in the plans at Linton.