PORTSMOUTH: Reform's migrant motion defeated in heated debate
A motion for Portsmouth City Council to formally oppose future small boat landings in the city was voted down
A heated Portsmouth council debate – which heard from TV personality Ant Middleton – on small boat crossings has ended with Reform UK’s motion being defeated by councillors.
Portsmouth councillors debated a motion brought forward by the local Reform UK group following the arrival of around 120 asylum seekers in the city earlier this month.
On Sunday, September 6, approximately 120 migrants were brought into Eastney by the RNLI, which had rescued them from a boat that crossed the Channel from Normandy.
The motion, which was voted on by councillors, called on the council’s chief executive and leader to write to the Home Secretary stressing that Portsmouth is unsuitable for small boat arrivals.
Before the meeting, council leader Steve Pitt read out a letter from the government stating that it is not its intention “to establish Portsmouth as a routine or designated location for small boat disembarkations”.
The letter said there are “arrangements” to avoid a “repetition of disruption experienced at Eastney”, but that it cannot offer an “absolute guarantee excluding any particular location in every conceivable circumstance where life might be at risk”.
The chamber then heard from members of the public, including former special forces soldier and television personality Ant Middleton.
He said: “Portsmouth is a very proud naval city. When we see these boats coming in which ultimately is illegal activity – I can’t believe we’re having a conversation of not only facilitating this, but allowing this to happen.”
Mr Middleton said residents are “completely demoralised” and argued that the Royal Navy should be allowed to “do their job” in stopping small boat arrivals.
In closing, he said: “We need an overhaul of leadership and hopefully that will come in the form of a Reform government.”
Alvie Mahmut, speaking in opposition to the motion, said: “It is regrettable that those seeking refuge are taking increasingly dangerous routes”, which highlights “the need for safe and legal routes”.
He said protests on September 6 were “unfortunately intimidatory”, pointing to damage to police vehicles and protesters being “arrested and pled guilty to violent disorder”.
Mr Mahmut also highlighted an incident where a Pakistani cricket team was mistaken for asylum seekers at a Portsmouth hotel. He argued that they were “targeted because of the colour of their skin, a clear act of racism”.
Mr Mahmut’s deputation was interrupted by jeering from the public gallery, which Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson described as “intimidation”.
Following a short break, some members of the public were removed from the meeting.
Introducing the motion, councillor George Madgwick said the public gallery was “riled up” because they were “labelled racist by commentators”.
“I don’t think it’s racist to be concerned about hundreds of undocumented men, being organised by criminal gangs invading into our country.
“Whoever decided at the Home Office that Portsmouth on Eastney beach with one road in and one road off would be a suitable place for migrants to disembark is quite frankly an idiot.”
He stressed that Portsmouth is unsuitable for small boat disembarkations because “we already house more migrants in this city than any other area in Hampshire”.
In his speech, council leader Steve Pitt criticised Reform’s rhetoric, particularly its description of people as “illegal” and repeated references to “fighting age males”.
“For the record, there were women and younger children on those lifeboats”.
He said the small boat crisis was “born from a botched Brexit” that took Britain out of the European Migration and Asylum Pact “which allows members to return asylum seekers to the country where they has first entered the EU”.
He added that “Reform would rather leave more international agreements than rejoin the ones that worked but that’s because it doesn’t service their purpose to resolve problems and heal our country. Theirs is a politics of division”.
The debate then turned to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), following a social media post by Cllr Madgwick in which he described the charity as facilitating illegal migration and encouraged people to lobby against it and withdraw funding.
Cllr Matthew Winnington said Cllr Madgwick had “fuelled” hostilities towards the RNLI, which has closed its Eastney lifeboat station due to threats and intimidation towards volunteers.
Cllr Madgwick denied lobbying against the RNLI, saying he believed the operation at Eastney was “morally wrong”, while also denouncing violence and doxxing targeting RNLI volunteers.
In response, Cllr Winnington read out Mr Madgwick’s words: “lobby against the RNLI, withdraw your support and funding”.
Cllr Graham Heaney highlighted the “duty pursuant to international law to a ship to attempt the rescue of persons at danger at sea”.
“At the beginning of war the RNLI were criticised because they rescued German aircrew after they were shot down by British fighters.
“Was that morally right? Well I think it was because I don’t think Cllr Madgwick knows what moral means – it means you treat people without fear or favour.”
In closing, Cllr Joe Standen, who seconded the motion, said successive governments’ promises to control borders have “gone undelivered”.
“It is perfectly reasonable to ask why over 100 undocumented individuals who we know nothing about can cross one of the busiest shipping lanes in world and then ultimately landing the home of the Royal Navy.
“This is a legitimate question, and asking it does not make someone racist and it certainly does not make them a thug”.
The motion was defeated by 24 votes to 13, with all Reform councillors and one Conservative voting in favour. One councillor abstained.