Concentrate refugees in camps, says Labour peer
Lord West apologies for language on Channel crossings

LABOUR peer Lord Alan West was forced to apologise today after backing the detention of asylum-seekers in “concentrated places” such as camps.
Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House programme this morning, the retired Royal Navy admiral said of refugees crossing the Channel in small boats: “We need to actually deal with them in a concentrated place, whether it’s a camp or whatever.”
The former security minister, who served in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet, was discussing government plans to deploy nets to prevent refugee boats from crossing the Channel.
More from this author

In an exclusive investigation, BETHANY RIELLY looks at how the state targeted leading politicians and campaigning groups — labelling many well-known figures 'extremists' and 'subversives' for attempting to hold the police to account

On September 4, 16 Eritrean asylum-seekers were arrested at a protest against their country’s dictatorship and its supporters here. Since then, questions have been raised about whether the British authorities are doing enough to protect activists and asylum-seekers from the ‘long arm’ of the regime in Asmara