Claim: Migrants Should Be Sent to a Scottish Island and Housed in Tents
Summary of the Claim
In January 2025, several Scottish news outlets reported that Rupert Lowe had suggested migrants arriving illegally in the UK should be sent to a Scottish island and housed in tents to make their stay “particularly uncomfortable.” The story spread quickly on social media and drew criticism from Scottish politicians and refugee advocates, many of whom accused Lowe of promoting inhumane treatment of asylum seekers.
This fact-check examines whether Rupert Lowe directly made the statements attributed to him and whether the claim accurately reflects what he said.
Where the Claim Was Made
The claim began with Scottish tabloid and online reporting in early January 2025. While early impressions suggested that journalists were relying on paraphrasing, further review confirms that direct quotations were included in coverage. In addition, Lowe himself made public statements on social media that align with the substance of the claim.
Scottish outlets quoted Lowe saying he would:
“ship them straight off to an island off of the Scottish coast if necessary,”
and
“let the midges do their work.”
Separately, Lowe wrote on social media that illegal migrant men:
“must be securely detained until deportation can be arranged. Put them in a tented camp offshore, and then SEND THEM HOME.”
These statements confirm that both elements of the claim came directly from Lowe.
Verdict: ✅ True
The claim is accurate and supported by strong evidence. Rupert Lowe was quoted directly supporting the idea of sending migrants to a Scottish island, and he also publicly stated that migrants should be placed in tented accommodation offshore. Both points were communicated in his own words.
Although the island comments and the tent comments appeared in two separate statements, the media reports reflected positions that Lowe had clearly expressed.
Evidence and Analysis
1. Direct quotations verify the Scottish island proposal
The Scottish press included verbatim quotes attributed to Lowe. These were not paraphrases. He said migrants could be sent to “an island off the Scottish coast” and added “let the midges do their work.” These statements support the part of the claim referring to the island.
2. Lowe publicly endorsed the use of offshore tented camps
In a social media post, Lowe said illegal migrant men should be placed in “a tented camp offshore.” This was a clear statement advocating tented accommodation as a deterrent measure. Although he did not specify Scotland in this post, the principle of tents for migrants came directly from him.
3. Reporting combined two genuine statements from Lowe
Some headlines merged Lowe’s Scottish island comments with his separate statement about tented camps. This created a simplified narrative. However, both positions were actually expressed by Lowe, so the combination reflected his overall stance rather than misrepresenting it.
4. Political responses were based on direct quotes
Scottish politicians, refugee organisations and commentators reacted strongly to the claim. Their responses assumed the reporting was accurate because it included direct quotations. Public reaction amplified the combined version of events, but the underlying statements were made by Lowe.
5. Importance of accurate attribution
Fact-checking requires distinguishing between paraphrasing and direct evidence. In this instance, the core components of the claim were not invented or exaggerated. Lowe made the island comments in one setting and the tent comments in another, but both elements originated from him.
Conclusion
The claim that Rupert Lowe proposed sending migrants to a Scottish island and housing them in tents is supported by direct evidence. Lowe was quoted discussing sending migrants to “an island off the Scottish coast” and said “let the midges do their work.” He also wrote publicly that migrants should be placed in “a tented camp offshore.” Although these statements were made in different contexts, they reflect positions he communicated clearly and directly.
For this reason, the claim is accurate and the correct verdict is ✅ True.
Sources
• The Scottish Sun reporting on the alleged proposal