MacDonald presses Home Office minister over Cameron Barracks plans 

Angus MacDonald, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Inverness, Skye & West Ross-shire, met with Asylum Minister Alex Norris MP today to continue pressing the Home Office about the concerns of Inverness residents over the UK Government’s proposal to house 300 asylum seekers at city centre Cameron Barracks in Inverness.

Mr MacDonald has now invited Alex Norris to Inverness to hear directly from residents and service providers.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr MacDonald said:

“This proposal was imposed on Highland communities with no consultation whatsoever. The Minister has acknowledged that I should have been informed, and I appreciate that apology — but it should never have happened in the first place. Local people deserve clarity, not decisions made behind closed doors.  

“Nothing in this meeting changed my view: Cameron Barracks is not an appropriate location to house such a large number of asylum seekers.

"With the battalion being deployed overseas, the military families living directly behind the barracks, have voiced their serious concerns and I made sure these voices were heard by the Minister.

"I have also heard from many residents concerned about the pressure this will put on already overstretched local health services. The UK Government have not done anywhere near enough to put in place support for our council and our health board."

Mr MacDonald went on to criticise the previous Government’s handling of the asylum system and implored the Labour Government to pursue smarter policies:

“The Conservatives trashed the immigration system, allowed the backlog to spiral out of control and removed us from international agreements that allowed us to return people safely and lawfully.

"While this Government has inherited a broken system, they need to now prioritise speeding up asylum decisions instead of shuttling people to inappropriate sites like Cameron Barracks

“We need a much quicker court system — Nightingale processing centres, like the Covid hospitals, could clear the backlog within six months. That would ensure people with no right to be here are returned swiftly, and those with valid claims can get on with working, integrating, and contributing to our communities.

“I will continue to push for full engagement and proper solutions. Cameron Barracks is not the answer — tackling the backlog is.”