It's understood Linton on Ouse site withdrawn from Home Office plans to house asylum seekers
The former RAF base was due to accommodate up to 1,800 men
Last updated 9th Aug 2022
It's understood plans for an asylum seeker reception centre in a North Yorkshire village are on hold.
During a visit to a Yorkshire engineering company earlier today (Tuesday, 9 August), Conservative leadership hopeful Liz Truss claimed the proposals to house a minimum of 1,500 men at Linton-on-Ouse site have been dropped.
She told reporters "well, my understanding from the Defence Secretary is the Linton-on-Ouse plans are not going ahead. So, it's a moot point because it won't be going forward."
Since those comments Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said he has "withdrawn" the offer for the disused North Yorkshire RAF base to be used to house asylum seekers.
Earlier this year, the Government announced that RAF Linton-on-Ouse would become an asylum reception centre.
It would hold a minimum of 1500 single adult males who have travelled to the UK from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, & Afghanistan.
The plan has been opposed by the local MP and district council as well as many in the local community.
Mr Wallace - who was also on the factory tour with Ms Truss earlier - was asked about North Yorkshire MP Rishi Sunak's comments where the former chancellor said he would ask the Home Office to find an alternative solution to using the site in Linton-on-Ouse.
Mr Wallace said: "He didn't oppose it when he was in Government, so that's a new surprise. I think because he's not in Government he won't know what's been going on. I have withdrawn the offer to the Home Office for that site.
"It's been with them for a number of months. I have obligations to do something else with that site, and you know there are other sites we made available to the Home Office if they wish to take it up."
He added: "I have withdrawn the offer of that site to the Home Office. It was one of, I think, five sites we offered at the time, when Rishi Sunak was in Government, and he was certainly supportive of it at the time. He isn't now, interestingly enough."
We have also contacted the Home Office for further clarification.
Thirsk and Malton MP, Kevin Hollinrake, said: "After many months of campaigning with some fantastic and hard-working individuals, this is truly welcome news. It was always the wrong idea and Kevin welcomes the statements of the two candidates agreeing they'd also have planned to scrap the site if they are successful in the leadership contest.
"Serious credit to all the campaigners, local residents, Linton Action Group, North Yorkshire Council, Hambleton District Council, local councillors, the parish council, North Yorkshire Police and the NY Police Commissioner's office, as well as the media outlets who helped keep pressure on Government.
"Linton residents can now rest easy and breathe a sigh of relief. I'm truly delighted for this community who were traumatised by these plans and look forward to working with the involved stakeholders in the future."