Meeting with Defence Minister, Monday 1 December 2025
Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, has secured a meeting with Defence Minister Luke Pollard regarding provision for Crowborough Cadets.
Nusrat's latest statement is available below.
Delayed! After 50 days of persistent forensic questioning and campaigning against the Home Office and Wealden District Council, we have secured a much-needed delay on the site being operational. Our technical challenges on the site being safe, legal and compliant, have disrupted the arrival of Asylum Seekers as planned for the end of November.
I’m pleased to have also secured progress for our Crowborough Cadets. During my meeting this afternoon with Defence Minister Luke Pollard MP and five of his Cadet Advisers, it was confirmed that Crowborough Cadets will not be accessing the site from next week, and a new site will be secured for them. Previously, the Home Office had suggested that the Cadets could continue operating from the site after it would accommodate 600 male asylum seekers. I raised strong objections to any such idea and insisted on alternative arrangements being made urgently.
Attending the meeting were local representatives from Pink Ladies, Jeannette Towey; Crowborough Shield, Kim Bailey; and Cllr Michael Lunn. We all raised objections to the Training Camp being handed to asylum seekers and removed as a training key asset for the Cadets and other multiple youth clubs. Concerns were raised over the security of the site and the lack of confidence in both the Home Office and Wealden District Council in undertaking their duties in ensuring the site is safe, legal and compliant. I’m thankful to Kim, Jeanette and Michael for making the journey up to Parliament at such short notice.
This is progress, and a small win for every Crowborough resident who has joined me via my petition and in directly challenging the Home Office and Wealden District Council with emails and letters. It is obvious that plans began to unravel for the Home Office when they were challenged by me and our 500 strong local residents at my first public meeting on 10th November, when basic questions were raised over the site safety, Crowborough Cadets, and lack of consultation.
The Home Office's plans have only been disrupted by the difficult and uncomfortable challenges we have raised. They were not expecting us to be co-ordinated, across the detail and determined to hold them to account. They no doubt had been having an easier ride with the Liberal Democrat and Green Party Leadership of Wealden District Council.
We should accept this as a win for now, however we cannot be complacent and we need to double down on raising technical challenges over planning - which is the basic job of Wealden District Council as the planning authority.
The Home Office are now implying that the site will be operational by the end of the year. They will be informing their lead local partner, Wealden District Council, when they are ready. It is so sad that Wealden District Council have declined to meet the three local MPs or join their fight on behalf of local residents.
I've come under huge personal criticism from Wealden District Council and Crowborough Councillors for being outspoken. But as my constituents know, I will not be deterred and will continue to do my job as the local MP, and champion local residents. I will continue to interrogate the Home Office on how they can evidence that the site is safe, legal and compliant. I will continue pushing Wealden District Council into legally challenging the Home Office's decision and plans, which are no doubt in conflict with local planning.
I've made my meetings open to local community representatives as l have nothing to hide, unlike Wealden District Council who meet with the Home Office privately. I accept that this is a job for the Council leadership, but it has been over 50 days since they were first made aware of the Home Office's plans, and they have not shown any evidence to meet with the right people and ask the right questions.
The pressure that the community and I keep putting on the Home Office is working and we cannot take out foot off the pedal. We have to keep going and demand transparency, accountability and honesty. Please continue signing my petition at: nusghani.org.uk/NoAsylumHousing.
Meeting with Home Office Minister, Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, has secured a meeting with Home Office Minister Alex Norris regarding the Government’s proposals to house asylum seekers at Crowborough Training Camp.
Nusrat was joined by neighbouring MP Mims Davies as well as Crowborough residents Kim Bailey and Jeanette Towey, who helped me represent our communities concerns and raise our objections directly to the Minister.
Nusrat's latest statement is available below.
Public Meeting at Crowborough Community Centre, Monday 10 November 2025
Resident power! Wealden Council pressured to explore legal action against Home Office over Crowborough Training Camp
Following pressure from MP Nusrat Ghani and local residents, Wealden District Council leaders have confirmed they will take legal action against the Home Office's proposal to use Crowborough Training Camp to house asylum seekers.
Ms Ghani held two large community meetings on Monday 10th November, with over 500 residents attending to hear directly from Home Office officials and Wealden District Council. During the event, Ms Ghani forensically questioned the officials on several key issues regarding the safety, legality and compliance of using a site that was previously rejected. The Home Office confirmed that the Council, as the lead planning authority and recipient of money for every asylum seeker accommodated at Crowborough, has the power to legally challenge the decision before, during and after asylum seekers arriving. Officials also stated that the site can only open once it is deemed safe, legal, and compliant, but they could not provide evidence of how these criteria would be met.
At the meeting, Ms Ghani presented evidence showcasing how other Councils used their planning legal powers to challenge the Home Office. Present at the meeting was the leadership Cllr Rachel Millward and Cllr James Partridge, who were urged to use legal challenges to address the potential impact on planning, environment, healthcare and the Crowborough Cadets.
After the MP’s and community pressure, the Council’s leadership changed its initial position of "nothing could be done" to “we will take legal action” and promised to explore all legal options and to keep the community updated. Ms Ghani praised the residents for their calm engagement. She affirmed she will continue to work with the Council to support legal action, but not with the Council’s present chaotic position of supporting the Home Office in housing asylum seekers at Crowborough Training Camp.
Nusrat Ghani said: “Crowborough residents did us proud, raising legitimate concerns over Wealden District Council’s and the Home Office’s lack of transparency of what is planned for Crowborough. Due to my persistent pressure, the Home Office attended their first public meeting, but left us asking more worrying questions, which should have been raised by Councillors at a much earlier stage. At the meeting, Cllr Tysh, Cllr Millward and Cllr Partridge said they couldn’t do anything. After I gave examples of other Councils taking legal action and after the Home Office confirmed that they could take legal action, the Cllrs then publicly changed their position to claiming that they now “will take legal action”. I look forward to seeing evidence of what legal action and legal advice will be implemented. There is no time to waste, and every Cllr now needs to be across the detail and standing up for Crowborough. I urge local residents to hold their Councillors’ feet to the fire to make sure they stay true to the promise they made to residents at my meeting on Monday.”
