BEXHILL and Battle Conservative MP Huw Merriman in effect laid down the gauntlet to residents opposed to the proposed Northeye detention centre at a public meeting held on Friday, January 26.
Hundreds gathered at the meeting which was held at St Augustine’s Church in the town to grab the opportunity to grill the MP even though plans for the site have yet to be ratified by the Home Office.
To a large extent the meeting passed off peacefully aside from the occasional angry outburst with the MP finding himself firmly in the spotlight.
One member of the audience, Vince Spencer, asked those who opposed Northeye to stand up, which a significant number did, but Mr Merriman, undeterred, responded by saying: “I believe in democracy and I represent all of my constituents whether or not they support or oppose me.
“Come the General Election later this year those who are eligible to do so have the freedom to vote for whichever candidate they choose. That is their right and I respect that.
“If people don’t agree with me or my views then they can vote me out at the next election. I represent all of my constituents and that includes asylum seekers.
“As I have already said, I believe in democracy. I am not a hypocrite. When it comes down to it the people will decide who they want to represent them at the ballot box.
“Nothing has been formalised as yet with regards to Northeye but I am here to listen to concerns which are raised and will answer any questions to the best of my ability and will keep residents informed of any developments taken by the Home Office.
“Let me make it clear that I don’t want to see anyone lose their lives in the Channel.
“It is horrific when lives are lost but we need to tackle the people smugglers. All of the decisions made are challenging.
“The world is on the march but we have to recognise that Britain is a country of limited size and immigration has to be controlled. Sometimes you have to be tough to be kind.”
Mr Merriman then pointed out that as yet there is no timescale for a final decision to be made over Northeye.
He added: “I will continue to work with residents living near to the Northeye site but I stress I am not privy to all of the decisions made by the Home Office before they are announced.
“However, I will pass on information as I receive it regarding developments and also update my website regularly.
“I never suggested that Northeye would be a good site to house asylum seekers as has been suggested in some quarters. I categorically deny that.”
The Conservative MP also confirmed that if Northeye did become a holding centre for asylum seekers, it would definitely be a closed and secure site, pointing out that if it had been an open site it would be open already.
He said: “The purchase of Northeye was completed in September last year but surveys have not yet been completed to assess the suitability of the site for the purpose intended.
“I understand the concerns of those who live close to Northeye but if the proposals are formalised there will be no negative impact on the rest of the town.”
Rother District Labour councillor and joint deputy leader Christine Bayliss then said: “It (Northeye) is in the wrong place and has been identified by the Government for the wrong purpose. It is also a complete waste of public money.”
Mr Merriman batted those concerns aside when it was pointed out he didn’t live in Bexhill. “I live in the constituency I represent,” he responded.
Another audience member then said that the British Navy can protect the Red Sea but not the English Channel which prompted a rousing round of applause.
But Mr Merriman remained resolute even when another added that the country was being bullied by the Government.
He said: “What sort of country would we be if we don’t respect people’s basic human rights? I came into politics to help people and that will always remain the case.”
As the meeting petered out, the general consensus seemed to be that the MP had undergone a light grilling rather than the fire and fury which had been predicted in some quarters beforehand.
