Please be aware: the above video contains materials of a sensitive and distressing nature. This includes discussion and video footage of incidents of racism, offensive language, physical violence towards detained people and suicide.
APPG session
Over 60 people, including parliamentarians, people with lived experience, lawyers, medical experts, NGOs and journalists, attended the APPG’s recent advance briefing on the Brook House Inquiry, held on 13 December 2022.
The Inquiry – the first of its kind into immigration detention – was set up to investigate the abuse of people held at Brook House, an immigration removal centre (IRC) near Gatwick.
The mistreatment in question was first exposed in a BBC Panorama programme aired in 2017. Undercover footage revealed how vulnerable people held at Brook House were responded to with incidents of physical violence, pervasive derogatory and violent verbal abuse, and racism to them or about them. It showed a normalisation of the infliction of pain, suffering and humiliation, and an underlying lack of empathy, even in life-threatening situations.
The Inquiry has received evidence on broader systemic concerns about the detention regime. This includes evidence on how persistent failures in the safeguarding of vulnerable people led to the de-humanisation of detained people, de-sensitisation towards their suffering, and a culture of disbelief. More recent events at Brook House, as well as at Manston Short-Term Holding Facility, Harmondsworth IRC and elsewhere show that these problems remain as alarming and relevant as ever.
The Chair of the Inquiry, Kate Eves, is expected to publish her final report in early 2023. In advance of this, the APPG brought together key contributors to the Inquiry to discuss the main issues and evidence that have come to light.
A full recording of the session is available to watch above. The panel of speakers included:
- Mishka – Campaigns & Communications Lead, Allies for Justice
- Dr Rachel Bingham – Clinical Advisor, Medical Justice. Dr Bingham regularly goes into Brook House and other IRCs to assess detained clients. She gave evidence at the Inquiry
- Stephanie Harrison KC – Co-Head, Garden Court Chamber. Stephanie is representing a number of core participants in the Inquiry, including people detained at Brook House
- Callum Tulley – Journalist, BBC. As a 19 year-old Detention Custody Officer at Brook House, Callum spent over a year providing the BBC with intelligence before wearing secret cameras and filming undercover for three months.
Written briefing
Medical Justice, who provide the secretariat for the APPG, has published a written briefing which summarises the key issues and evidence from the Brook House Inquiry.
The briefing was written by Laura Profumo of Doughty Street Chambers, with additional input from Stephanie Harrison KC of Garden Court Chambers and Hamish Arnott of Bhatt Murphy Solicitors.
You can download a copy of the briefing here or click on the image below.
