Home Office 'will drop opposition to inquiry into Manston abuse'

The Home Office is to concede to demands for a statutory inquiry into alleged assaults, racist abuse and mistreatment of asylum seekers at Manston processing centre, Whitehall sources have said.

- Rajeev Syal

The move comes after the government spent a year fighting off demands in the courts for an independent figure to investigate chaos that led to claims of violence, drug dealing and filthy conditions at the Kent camp.

It could lead to former home secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman being asked to give evidence over the political decisions that led to overcrowding in 2022.

Sources have claimed that the government was forced to drop its opposition to an inquiry after the decision not to reappoint David Neal, the borders watchdog.

He was due to contribute in advance of a judicial review hearing on 21 March - but his evidence remained incomplete after he was sacked from office last month.

The decision to concede to a public inquiry is expected to raise questions over why the government has wasted public money defending a review.

Lawyers for asylum seekers have demanded that the statutory inquiry must include powers to compel the production of documents, attendance of witnesses, public hearings and funded legal representation.

Manston accommodates both adults and children who arrive on small boats in a series of marquees.