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Suella Braverman claimed illegal immigration is “out of control” as she defended overcrowding at an asylum facility in Kent. Answering questions from shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, Ms Braverman suggested Labor was not “serious” about stopping illegal immigration before telling the Commons the issue was out of control. “We have to be straight with the public. The system is broken. Illegal immigration is rampant and too many people are interested in playing political parlor games, covering up the truth rather than solving the problem,” he said. She added that she was serious about “stopping the invasion” of the south coast by telling MPs. Yvette Cooper said decision-making on migrant cases had “broken down”. There has been a “total failure” to stop the proliferation of criminal gangs linked to small boat crossings. Ms. Braverman also denied allegations that she had rejected policy advice, saying that as a former attorney general she knew the importance of legal counsel.

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Watch: Suella Braverman says she ‘anticipated’ concerns at Manston asylum centre

Suella Braverman says she “anticipated” concerns at Manston asylum Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 18:20 1667240107

Tory MP suggests Manston failures are a result of Home Secretary delays in supplying accommodation

Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale suggested the failures at Manston were Suella Braverman’s fault. “This facility worked absolutely brilliantly and very effectively until five weeks ago when I’m afraid the Home Secretary took the political decision not to commission any further accommodation and that led to the Manston crisis,” he said. He asked: “Will (she) now first give the House an assurance that suitable accommodation will be provided to enable the Manston facility to return to its previous operations? Ms. Braverman replied, “I just have to gently correct him. In no way have I blocked the supply of hotels or alternative accommodation to relieve pressure on Manston, I’m afraid that’s simply not true.’ Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 18:15 1667239730

Labor MP Stella Creasey told the Home Secretary: “There is nothing patriotic about children suffering, but that is exactly what is happening as a direct result of this Home Secretary’s failure to tackle the processing of asylum seekers.” In response to a question from Labour’s Stella Creasy Suella Braverman said some asylum seekers were being housed in four-star hotels, at a cost of £150 per night. Ms Creasy, who did not receive a response to her question about whether the government would publish the contracts that apply to the care of refugee children, said Braverman seemed uninterested. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 18:08 1667239207

Gigafactory plans close to collapse raise fresh doubts over UK car industry

Plans for a £3.8bn battery gigafactory are on the brink of collapse, in a move that raises fresh questions for the UK car industry after the Brexit trade deal. The problems besetting British start-up Britishvolt are also a major embarrassment for Boris Johnson – who hailed the company as a key part of his “Green Industrial Revolution” earlier this year. The company – which planned to create 300 jobs through the Northumberland plant – is set to enter administration after struggling to find investors. A £100m pledge of financial support promised while the current prime minister, Rishi Sunak, was chancellor is now expected to be withdrawn, with the plant yet to be bought. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 18:00 1667238960

Suella Braverman warns of ‘invasion of our south coast’ as she defends handling of asylum crisis

Suella Braverman has warned of the “invasion of our south coast” as she defended her handling of the Kent asylum crisis. The embattled home secretary also insisted she had never blocked the supply of hotels to ease pressure on the centre. He claimed that “around 40,000 people” crossed the English Channel this year as he referred to the wider immigration situation. He told the Commons: “Let me be clear that this is a global migration crisis. “We have seen an unprecedented number of attempts to illegally cross the canal with small boats. “About 40,000 people came through this year alone. More than double the number of arrivals at the same point last year.” Read the full report below: Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 17:56 1667238002

“Illegal immigration out of control,” Braverman asserts

Suella Braverman responding to the shadow home secretary said illegal immigration is out of control. “The British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion of the south coast,” Ms Braverman said. “The system is broken, illegal immigration is rampant, and too many people are more interested in playing political parlor games to cover up the truth than solving the problem.” Ms Braverman said she was serious about stopping the “scourge” of illegal immigration and would do whatever it took, adding that was why some wanted to get rid of it. He reiterated that he did not block hotels or veto legal advice to procure emergency accommodation. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 17:40 1667237553

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP now responds to Suella Braverman. The Labor agent says she knows of evidence that Ms Braverman specifically ignored legal advice. He says Braverman broke the ministerial code repeatedly, and says in one instance he broke it three times. “How can anyone have confidence in her, given the serious responsibility of the home secretary to defend our national security, safety standards and national security,” Ms Cooper said. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 17:32 1667237347

The Home Secretary said she had never ignored legal advice on housing migrants. Speaking to MPs, Suella Braverman said she was working “vigorously” to find alternative places for migrants following reports of overcrowding at Manston. “I have held regular operational meetings with frontline officials and am actively looking for alternative locations, but I have to be honest this takes time and there are many hurdles. “I have never ignored legal advice, as a former attorney general I know the importance of taking legal advice.” He added that he had worked to ease the pressure on housing before insisting that what he refused to do was “prematurely release thousands of people into local communities with nowhere to stay”. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 17:29 1667236904

“Unprecedented” number of people crossing the Channel in small boats, Braverman says

Suella Braverman said there is a “global migration crisis”, adding that there have been 40,000 arrivals of people in small boats this year alone, double the number at this point last year. He added that there had been a wave of Albanian immigrants, with many of them “abusing” modern slavery laws. “We are working to ensure that cases are processed and people are removed as quickly as possible, sometimes within days,” he told MPs. He said it was vital to break up international organized crime gangs, adding that the NCA was at the forefront of the fight. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 17:21 1667236600

Suella Braverman said several hundred migrants were taken to Manston after the Western Jet Foil attack. She says that Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, visited Manston yesterday and will be visiting herself shortly/ He added that when many people arrive quickly, it is not possible to supply 1,000 beds in a short period of time. “There are of course competing and heavy requirements for housing requirements, including Ukrainian, Afghan and social housing,” he said. It says it is looking at “all available options” to overcome the problems with the offer. He says he will oversee it personally. Thomas Kingsley31 October 2022 17:16