The Home Office appears to have been forced into a humiliating climb down over plans to house more than 500 single male asylum seekers in a military barracks. Labour had been trying to place 540 in the army base close to the outskirts of the rural town of Crowborough, in East Sussex.

The decision sparked outrage among locals who claimed there was nothing in the area to support such a large number of unknown men being moved there. Several large protests were held in and around the small town, which is home to just 20,000 people. Wealden District Council previously said it had been told by the Home Office that plans to house asylum seekers in the military facility for at least 12 months would go ahead despite local objections.

However, it now appears that the Home Office is delaying pl

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