Idea to house asylum seekers on Alderney ‘would be preposterous’

The idea has been proposed by UK think tank Policy Exchange.

Deputy John Gollop, who has strong links with Alderney, said he was surprised to see the article in yesterday’s Times newspaper.

‘I was flabbergasted, really, that a senior think tank from the UK is seeking to wade into UK’s slightly toxic politics with extraordinary suggestions, which involve [housing asylum seekers in] Cyprus, Alderney and Ascension Island,’ he said.

He said it appeared the document’s authors were aware Alderney was not part of the UK, but that was part of the appeal.

‘It assumes that none of the asylum seekers have legitimate cause to remain in the UK, because if that’s the case then they would be transplanted to Alderney and then would have to enter the UK in the normal way and that’s unsatisfactory,’ he said.

‘There was also no thinking to the needs of the Alderney population, its infrastructure or the work of the asylum seekers either. The report perhaps dangerously implies that asylum seekers aren’t genuine and don’t have a point of view. We need to be mindful.

‘I think the argument about whether the Channel Islands could accommodate more migration is a different one. This kind of proposal would just be completely inappropriate.’

He also queried what would be done to help any children among any asylum seekers and what education they could get.

‘Would they be educated at Alderney school?’ Deputy Gollop asked.

‘The idea’s preposterous really, the more you go into it.’

Alex Snowdon, one of two Alderney representatives in the States of Guernsey, said the report had come out of the blue.

‘To my knowledge the States of Alderney has had no knowledge of this report, which has obviously gone public from the think tank today,’ he said.

‘I think there are concerns that as a community, as we have got a lack of housing on the island, we’ve got a lack of resources and facilities on the island, how this was actually work.

'I don’t think it has been thought through. I would really question if these people have visited the island, with what they are proposing. I’m a little bit concerned this has been proposed without any consultation to my knowledge with the States of Alderney.’

He was concerned there were constitutional implications to the proposals too.

‘I think there needs to be communication and the proposals explained and the community engagement with the public of Alderney. But what they are proposing does not really seem to look at what the resources of the island has.

‘I can’t understand how this is going to work and for this to be the plan B, without any talking to the Alderney community or the elected government of the island is concerning.’