While Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is doubling down on his promise to cut net migration, questions are surfacing over how money is being spent at facilities housing new arrivals.

One particular revelation has raised eyebrows: more than £60,000 has reportedly been spent on entertainment items for migrants held at the Manston processing centre in Kent.

Gaming Consoles, TVs and Magazines Bought for Manston Detainees

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the Home Office spent tens of thousands of pounds over the last three years on items like TVs with satellite access, PlayStations, Nintendos, Xboxes, and subscriptions to newspapers and magazines.

Though the Manston facility is intended as a short-stay processing centre — with most people staying no more than 48 hours before being moved elsewhere — the amount spent has sparked criticism, especially in light of growing public concern over immigration and government spending.

Over £27,000 Went Toward TVs and Gaming Alone

According to the figures cited by GB News, the Home Office spent nearly £12,000 on televisions for the centre, and more than £15,000 on video game consoles.

Add in the cost of reading material, and the total climbs past the £60,000 mark.

The expenses have led some to question whether the government is sending mixed messages — especially as the Prime Minister announces plans to crack down on illegal migration and tighten the rules for those coming into the country legally.

Former Border Force Chief Says Entertainment Spending Fuels the Problem

Tony Smith, former Chief Executive of the Border Force, didn’t hold back.

He said the current system is encouraging illegal migration rather than deterring it.

“In my day,” Smith said, “illegal entrants were detained and placed into a fast-track system aimed at swift processing and removal.

Now, there’s little threat of being removed if you arrive by boat.

Instead, the system offers support far beyond what was once the norm — a far cry from the tents of Calais.”

He added that providing this level of comfort may actually worsen the issue by making the UK even more attractive to migrants and smugglers.

Starmer’s Message: Britain Risks Becoming an ‘Island of Strangers’

The revelations come just as Sir Keir Starmer delivered a major speech warning that the UK is at risk of becoming an “island of strangers” if migration isn’t drastically reduced.

He blamed high migration levels for the strain on public services, the housing shortage, and growing pressure on the economy.

His government’s new White Paper aims to reduce immigration by 98,000 a year — with several key policy changes in the pipeline.

Major Immigration Rule Changes on the Way

Among the proposals:

Raising the skills threshold for migrants entering the UK
Toughening up English language requirements
Doubling the wait for citizenship from 5 to 10 years
Cutting graduate visas to just 18 months
Introducing a new levy on universities’ income from international students
Imposing stricter sponsorship criteria for institutions recruiting foreign students

The government also plans to limit the power of judges to block deportations — part of a broader effort to streamline removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.

Home Office Says Most Spending Happened Under Previous Government

Responding to the backlash, a Home Office spokesperson stressed that the bulk of the entertainment-related spending happened under the previous administration.

They added that the TVs installed at Manston serve a dual purpose — not just entertainment, but also to deliver instructions and information to detainees.

“This new government is now reviewing this spend,” the spokesperson said.