Pembrokeshire's Penally Training Camp is “under active consideration” as temporary accommodation for 250 male asylum seekers.

Simon Hart, Conservative MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire and Secretary of State for Wales stated that “the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence are working hard to ensure Penally Training Camp is compliant with Covid-19 regulations and will have minimal impact on the local community.”

Yesterday evening a protest was organised by locals opposed to the conversion of the camp with many stating that they were anxious and disappointed by the lack of warning.

Mr Hamilton said:

“The UK Government has given up trying to control illegal immigration and bogus asylum-seekers. Penally is about to pay the price.

“The useless Tories have totally lost control of illegal immigration. The Border Agency is a farce, the Home Office has no idea how many illegal migrants are in the UK, and bogus asylum seekers whose appeals have failed are rarely deported.

“These people are not asylum-seekers but economic migrants. The law says asylum seekers must seek refuge in the first safe country they enter. They all come here from other EU countries, so they are not entitled to asylum in the UK. They should be sent back across the Channel not dumped in Penally.

“Penally with only 850 inhabitants is about to have 250 young male migrants dumped on them and allowed to roam free.

“The Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru voted in the Senedd to make Wales a 'Nation of Sanctuary' open to all-comers. Conservatives talk tough about immigration but do nothing - 3,000,000 migrants have been added to the UK population since 2010.

“The people of Penally did not vote for mass immigration or migrant camps on their doorstep. None of us voted to add a city the size of Cardiff to the UK every year by mass immigration.

“Despite having the Secretary of State for Wales as the local MP, the UK Government puts out the welcome mat for Penally's 250 new, diverse inhabitants. Labour, Lib-Dems and Plaid Cymru welcome migrants with open arms and think we should take even more. Only UKIP will put a stop to this scandalous abuse.

“The UK Government needs to get a grip and stop bogus asylum seekers now. But don't hold your breath!”