Following concerns and issues being raised by Stephen Morgan MP alongside his parliamentary colleague for Portsmouth North Amanda Martin MP in Westminster, with Ministers and government departments, the HM Government has issued the below statement following the actions by Portsmouth MPs:
“The Government recognises the strength of feeling in Portsmouth following the events at Eastney on 6 September. We understand the concerns raised by residents, elected representatives and local partners.
We are grateful to Portsmouth City Council, the emergency services and local partners for their engagement since the incident. We also thank Hampshire Police, HM Coastguard, Border Force personnel, the RNLI and other responders who worked in extremely challenging circumstances to protect life and maintain public safety.
The vessel involved was intercepted in the Channel, and those on board were brought ashore in accordance with established maritime safety obligations. The overriding priority was the preservation of life and the safe disembarkation of those rescued. One individual required hospital treatment for severe hypothermia.
In the circumstances prevailing at the time, Eastney was assessed as the safest available location at which those on board could be brought ashore and receive appropriate attention before being transferred for immigration processing.
We nevertheless recognise that Eastney presented significant logistical challenges and that the operation had an impact on the surrounding community.
The Government is carefully considering the lessons arising from the incident, including the suitability of potential landing locations, access and vehicle movement, local infrastructure, public safety, welfare arrangements and the need to minimise disruption to residents and port users.
The Government’s objective remains to disembark small boat arrivals in a safe and secure environment and to transfer them promptly to immigration facilities in Kent for onward processing and, where appropriate, detention. Small boat arrivals, which have halved this year, have ordinarily been landed at Western Jet Foil in Dover, (or at Ramsgate when Western Jet Foil was unavailable because of maintenance). The Eastney incident was an exception to that established approach.
It is not the Government’s intention to establish Portsmouth as a routine or designated location for small boat disembarkations. Revised contingency arrangements have been put in place for crossings originating further west in the Channel, with the objective of avoiding a repetition of the disruption experienced at Eastney.
However, Ministers and operational commanders must retain the ability to respond lawfully and decisively to an emergency at sea. It would therefore not be responsible to give an absolute guarantee excluding any particular location in every conceivable circumstance where life may be at immediate risk.
Where circumstances permit, the Government will seek to engage relevant local authorities and operational partners in advance. In a fast-moving maritime event, however, prior consultation may not always be possible. Any decision must be informed first by the preservation of life, maritime safety, operational security and the conditions prevailing at the time.
We recognise the strategic importance of Portsmouth, Portsmouth International Port, HM Naval Base Portsmouth and the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth. Potential impacts on defence and port security, commercial operations, transport resilience and the wider local community form part of the Government’s consideration of future contingency arrangements. Appropriate security and operational risk assessments will inform any decisions.
The Council has also raised the question of costs arising from the incident. The Government will engage with the Council to understand any evidenced additional costs for which it considers central government responsible. Any request will need to be considered in accordance with the applicable arrangements and on the basis of supporting information.
Finally, the Government draws a clear distinction between lawful expressions of concern and criminal disorder.
Residents are entitled to raise legitimate concerns and to protest peacefully. Government condemnation is directed at intimidation, abuse, obstruction, serious disruption and criminality, not at law-abiding residents expressing their views peacefully.
Threats and intimidation directed at emergency responders, RNLI volunteers and public servants are unacceptable, particularly when they risk impeding life-saving operations.
The Government has heard Portsmouth’s concerns and will continue working with the Council and operational partners to learn from the events of 6 September, strengthen contingency planning and protect both public safety and the national interest”.
