AN SNP MP has condemned false rumours a former school is being turned into asylum accommodation.
Claims that Kilgraston School, near Bridge of Earn in Perth and Kinross, will be turned into accommodation to house more than 300 asylum seekers have appeared online from organisers of anti-immigration protests in the area.
The school was closed last year and sold to a private developer.
A petition has also emerged online on Change.org called “Stop Kilgraston School being turned into migrant accommodation” which has been signed by more than 600 people.
Pete Wishart, Perth and Kinross-shire MP, has slammed the “utterly baseless” rumours.
He said: “Kilgraston School is not being turned into asylum accommodation.
“This is just the latest in a string of fabricated stories - we’ve already seen similar false claims about a care home in Perth and about 250 additional asylum seekers supposedly arriving in the city.
“Every time, these lies spread unnecessary fear, fuel division, and erode what used to be fantastic community relations in Perth.”
Wishart also reiterated Perth and Kinross Council is not responsible for asylum accommodation decisions.
“It is ill-informed for people to be attacking the council on the asylum issue when the reality is that local authorities have no say whatsoever in where asylum seekers are housed,” he said.
“These decisions are taken exclusively by the UK Government. Perth and Kinross Council’s only role is to ensure the welfare of those who the UK Government decide to place here, and they have worked incredibly hard alongside local groups to do exactly that.”
The former SNP leader of Perth and Kinross Council, Grant Laing, also said last month claims of further asylum hotels opening up in the area are “completely false”.
He said he had been saddened by the anti-migration protests and said everyone should be treated with “respect and humanity”.
A group called Abolish Asylum System held a protest outside the Radisson Blu hotel in Perth last month.
It was met with a counter-protest organised by Perth Against Racism, with the two sides chanting and shouting at each other before dispersing.
