Cameron Barracks, located in a quiet residential area of Inverness, is more than just a location. It is home to families who value its safety and stability. This issue is deeply personal to me, as it directly affects my family and the wider Highland community. We firmly oppose the government’s plan to house asylum seekers in Cameron Barracks or anywhere in the Highlands. This decision has been made without consulting local residents and ignores the risks and impracticalities of placing hundreds of people in facilities not designed for residential use.

Before considering asylum seekers in our area, the government must ask: what about the local homeless, ex-service veterans, victims of domestic violence, young people without homes, and families striving for their first home? These are our neighbours and families already in crisis. Our schools are near capacity, healthcare is stretched, and local housing is limited. Adding hundreds of asylum seekers to this system will further strain already scarce resources, putting our families at risk and leaving local residents without the support they urgently need.

Cameron Barracks is not designed for residential use, and placing people there creates safety hazards for both asylum seekers and local residents. We do not want the Highlands turned into a temporary solution for the government’s national asylum backlog. Decisions of this scale should not be imposed on communities without consultation, planning, or respect for local needs.

I am not racist, but I firmly believe we must prioritise those already in crisis in our own communities before bringing others into areas that are already struggling. Families who have lived here for generations should not have their homes, schools, and neighbourhoods disrupted while local needs are ignored.

We demand the government halt all plans to bring asylum seekers to the Highlands and engage with local residents to find solutions elsewhere. Priority must be given to the safety, stability, and wellbeing of Highland families and vulnerable individuals already living here.

By signing this petition, you stand with us in protecting Inverness and the Highlands from policies that threaten the wellbeing of our communities. We urge local and national authorities to listen to the people who live here and respect our right to safety, stability, and a future for our children.