“Inhumanity and disdain” – Carmichael responds to Tory Deputy Chair comments on “Orkneys” asylum

Orkney and Shetland MP and Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Home Affairs, Alistair Carmichael, has today responded to comments by Conservative Party Deputy Chair Lee Anderson MP who suggested on GB News that asylum seekers should be sent to “remote” Scottish islands while they wait for their applications to be processed.

Mr Anderson said:

“We’ve got the Orkneys or some remote Scottish island. I know it’s a bit parky up there this time of year. But if people are genuinely escaping war or persecution then a nice Scottish island with a few outbuildings would be suitable. This is a beautiful country. Parts of Scotland are a ‘go to’ destination, the remote islands – I’d like to be able to afford a place up there.”

In response, Mr Carmichael said:

“This is not a serious proposition. I would be astonished if Lee Anderson could even find Orkney – or in his words “the Orkneys” – on a map. His remarks show inhumanity towards desperate and vulnerable people – and disdain towards island communities to boot.

“Anderson has form for brainstorming Tory policy live on air. Obviously, this is a novel sort of brainstorming as it does not actually involve the engagement of a brain but instead looks more like an exercise in corralling as many prejudices as possible into one space and calling it a policy. If Rishi Sunak cannot bring his deputy chair into line then the only conclusion is that he approves of these attitudes.

“It is yet another attempt by a Conservative MP to kick up dust and distract attention from the complete failure of this government to manage our asylum and immigration system. Every day the backlog of unprocessed asylum applications gets longer. They should focus on fixing that, instead of looking around for new rows to pick.”

ENDS

Note to Editors:

Full comments from Lee Anderson regarding a story that plans were mooted to send asylum seekers to the Falkland Islands:

“I did think about this and I mentioned it to Boris: I mentioned the Falkland Islands and [South] Georgia about two years ago and he smiled at me.

“But I don’t think it’s fair on the Falkland Islands to be honest; they don’t want these illegal migrants going down there.

“There’s a better option: We can keep them on British soil if you like. We’ve got the Orkneys or some remote Scottish island. I know it’s a bit parky up there this time of year.

“But if people are genuinely escaping war or persecution then a nice Scottish island with a few outbuildings would be suitable.

“This is a beautiful country. Parts of Scotland are a ‘go to’ destination, the remote islands – I’d like to be able to afford a place up there.

“If we can get some accommodation up there, keep these people safe – these people want to be safe, they’re fleeing so-called persecution from these war-torn countries. IF we can put them on a nice, safe island in the North of Scotland, job done.

“If we can find an island in the Orkneys or up there that’s got no one on there to start off with, put some decent accommodation on, then it’s job done.

“The Falkland Islands, I think it’s a little bit far to go and it’s not fair on the Falkland Islanders who have got their own problems at the moment with their sovereignty, with Argentina.

“But if people are genuinely escaping violence or persecution then a nice little island in the north of Scotland is perfect.”