Welsh Secretary Simon Hart says UK Government didn't tell him about Penally asylum seekers' camp

The Welsh Secretary said the UK Government did not inform him of the plans to house asylum seekers in a military training camp in his constituency.

Simon Hart said the Home Office has confessed its plans to home up to 230 people at Penally, Pembrokeshire, "wasn't handled very well" in an interview with BBC Radio Wales ' Sunday Supplement.

Mr Hart has said "enough" respect hasn't been shown towards the area or the Welsh Government.

Prior to this, the Home Office had claimed it "worked at pace" to offer viable accommodation.

Meanwhile, men from Iraq and Iran who have been residing at the camp are claimed to have been shocked by the conditions.

Protesters still gather outside the gates on a daily basis (Simon Worley)

Not everyone objects to the asylum camp, with some arriving with gifts like an American football to help improve their living arrangements (Simon Worley)

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement programme, Mr Hart said he discovered the news from Pembrokeshire Council.

The MP for the Carmarthen East and South Pembrokeshire also said the situation was "not a satisfactory situation for anybody concerned".

"I've taken it up with [Home Secretary] Priti Patel on three, if not four, occasions now, plus the immigration minister," he said.

"The policy I can understand, and I understand the difficulty with Covid and finding Covid-compliant accommodation.

"I understand the difficulties at the moment over transport and all the things which have led to this.

"But the fact is that we all discovered completely by accident because of some comments on Facebook. There was no official contact.

"The practical application of this particular saga wasn't handled particularly well and the Home Office have actually admitted that.

"Whether it would've made any difference to the final decision is debateable but it's not really the point.

"We shouldn't be discovering these things by accident and by the fact that somebody posted something on Facebook."

As well as this, he went onto explain there was an "ongoing conversation" between the police and the Home Office regarding additional funding which is hoped to aid with policing.

Last weekend roughly 150 protesters and counter-protesters were seen demonstrating outside the camp near Tenby.

Some were even seen carrying banners which included messages such as: "not racist, not extremist, just concerned locals".

Another group carried placards with messages that read: "migrants and refugees welcome".