Lawyers acting for some of those unlawfully detained in appalling conditions at site in 2022 call for end to delays
An inquiry into what went wrong at an asylum seeker processing centre three years ago is at a standstill, critics have said.
A commitment to hold an inquiry into conditions at Manston in Kent in the second half of 2022 was first made by the former home secretary James Cleverly in March 2024 after 18,000 people were unlawfully detained in horrific conditions there.
Emily Soothill, a solicitor at Deighton Pierce Glynn representing some of those held at Manston during that period said: “Our clients are still waiting for answers as to how this was allowed to happen and accountability for the significant harm they suffered.
“We represent highly vulnerable individuals, including children, families and victims of trafficking and torture, who were deeply affected by their experiences at Manston. They are the victims of the inhuman and degrading treatment that occurred, and it is therefore the responsibility of the Home Office to ensure that this public inquiry is allowed to take place without any further delays.”
