Refugee centre gave job to BNP candidate
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The security firm Group 4 employed a British National Party member to work with asylum-seekers at a detention centre despite the party's views on immigration.
Richard Green, who is standing as a BNP candidate in this week's local elections, passed Group 4's vetting procedure to become a custody officer and physical training instructor at Yarl's Wood in Bedfordshire, Europe's largest immigration detention facility. Mr Green was employed there between April and November 2001, when he was not a paid-up member of the BNP. At his interview, he was not asked by Group 4 if he had any links with racist groups.
Alastair Burt, the Conservative MP for North-east Bedfordshire, has written to Beverley Hughes, the immigration minister, to demand an investigation. "Membership of the BNP would seem to most people to indicate a political view of immigrants and the immigrant process," Mr Burt said. Refugee support groups also called on the Government to investigate existing vetting procedures for detention centre staff.
Group 4 said it would be discriminatory to inquire into applicants' political affiliations.
Emma Ginn, a spokeswoman for the Campaign to Stop Arbitrary Detentions at Yarl's Wood, said: "It's appalling that he was allowed to work with people who have already experienced persecution in their own families."
The treatment of asylum-seekers in detention centres has attracted fierce criticism. Earlier this month, a report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons found that asylum-seekers in detention centres were subjected to routine strip searches and received little help for mental health problems.
Half of Yarl's Wood has been closed since February last year after a riot by detainees.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments