March 20, 2023 1.00 pm This story is over 27 months old

Nigel Farage backs campaign to ‘stop the madness’ at RAF Scampton

One of 16,000 people to sign petition against it
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage | Photo: Gage Skidmore

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is calling “to stop this madness” over plans for RAF Scampton to be used as a migrant camp.

He’s told Home Secretary Suella Braverman to abandon the plans, and has added his name to a petition against it.

Over 16,000 people have signed a petition a petition started by Lincoln’s Labour MP candidate to ‘Stop RAF Scampton being turned into a detention camp’.

The former UKIP leader, who has visited Lincolnshire several times, waded into the debate over the former airfield’s future.

 

 

 

He described plans as “an act of total cultural desecration” and said the Conservatives “would not be forgiven for this mistake”.

The Home Office plans has united different sides of the political spectrum.

It comes as over 40 historians have signed a letter opposing the plans.

“Scampton is absolutely brimming with potential for the local community, it seems obvious we need to keep it as an operation airfield in order to not only preserve the past but secure our future,” it says.

Secrecy continues over the government plans which have caused uproar and uncertainty, with a £300million redevelopment for the site almost certainly on hold.

The government has been under pressure to find alternative housing than hotels such as those in Skegness. It also has a huge backlog of more than 166,000 asylum applications.

Scampton Parish Council has organised a meeting for local people at Pollyplatt Scholl at 7.30pm on Monday to discuss the recent developments regarding the sale of the former RAF base.

West Lindsey District Council had appointed Scampton Holdings Ltd to bring forth a massive business, leisure and heritage project for the site.

However the company is being kept in the dark about the site’s future.

Chairman Peter Hewitt previously said: “We simply cannot operate with 1,500 additional people in the vicinity. The result of this is binary as there is not room for both our plans and the Home Office’s.

“We’re hoping they can provide clarity so that business can get on with what business does best, but this will not put us off our plans.

“Progress cannot be made until the Home Office make their decision.”

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