Fury over taxpayer money use as illegal migrants get free art classes and English lessons

Illegal migrants are being given free arts and crafts classes and English lessons while they wait to be deported. A £260 million contract to run removal centres at Gatwick Airport stipulates that migrants must be offered these perks, which include include a "welfare buddy" to help them adjust.

Gatwick's Immigration Removal Centres also give detainees the chance to earn £1 an hour for cleaning, serving food, and managing the gym under the eight-year contract for public services provider Serco. According to documents seen by The Sun, the contract offers acrylic painting classes, a board games room, and IT lessons. The people running the removal centres must also run diversity and equality committee meetings every month, and appoint an advisor to help with these issues.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp fumed at the use of taxpayer money, calling the art classes "nonsense" and calling for an end to the "woke nonsense".

He said: "Illegal immigrants should be on the first plane out, not getting art classes. Taxpayers' money is being wasted on this nonsense.

"The Conservatives plan to come out of the European Convention on Human Rights to enable the urgent deportation of 150,000 illegal immigrants and foreign criminals each year.

"The Government must stop messing around with woke nonsense and concentrate on deporting those with no right to be here."

The removal centres at Brook House and Tinsley House have been run by Serco since 2020, holding people while they await deportation or while their immigration status is being determined.

Foreign prisoners are also transferred there sometimes before being returned to their home countries after serving part of their sentences.

Home Office data showed that the average stay at Brook House is 6.7 weeks, and 5.1 weeks at Tinsley House.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "This contract was procured and awarded under a previous government.

"We are reviewing contracts for the provision of resident activities in immigration removal centres to ensure they deliver value for taxpayers."