Two ports denied request to land 120 migrants in RNLI boats

The leader of Portsmouth City Council, Steve Pitt, said: “The Home Office has some serious questions to answer about their lack of planning, inconsistent decision-making and ultimately, poor judgement.”

In the House of Commons yesterday, Dame Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport, referred to the boat containing 120 migrants in the Solent as an “extraordinary mega dinghy”.

She said: “MPs across the Solent region were scrambling for reliable information with complete radio silence from the Home Office. As a result we weren’t in a position to calm fear and tension.”

Responding for the government, Home Office minister Sarah Jones said the department would “learn any lessons that we need to” following the weekend’s protests.

Asked why Eastney had been chosen as the landing site, she said: “We are of course making sure we understand what exactly happened in that circumstance.”