Those who followed the Conservative Party conference will have been struck by the bold new asylum policy announced by Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin.

Under a government led by Prime Minister Iain Duncan Smith, all asylum-seekers arriving in Britain would be immediately deported to a "far offshore processing" island.

There are some problems with this.

Clearing out hundreds or even thousands of natives to make way for Oliver's vast concentration camp may not go down too well at the UN.

Perhaps this wouldn't matter that much as the Americans could be relied upon to veto any hostile resolution in gratitude for Britain's support of the US action in Iraq.

The real problem is financial. The cost of maintaining such a camp so far from the UK could turn out to be exorbitant.

Even if, under pressure from a Tory, tax-cutting Chancellor of the Exchequer, the prisoners' (sorry, asylumseekers') food rations were steadily reduced, travel costs, plus the expense of maintaining administrative and security staff so far from home, would inevitably eat into any available budget.

A better solution would be to establish a network of smaller camps on islands specially constructed around the British coast.

The initial capital outlay would be high but an incoming government might decide to use lottery funding for this purpose rather than on dubious so-called community projects.

Local authorities would then be able to apply for funding under a new Conservative Reform of Asylum Programme (CRAP for short).

Brighton and Hove needs to be ahead of the game and start preparing its own CRAP PFI proposal.

The advantages for the local construction and security industries are clear.

It would also be good for the tourist industry and food parcel distribution trips from the Marina could quickly become a top national tourist attraction.

Well done, Oliver. You're a genius. Keep up the good work.

-Councillor Kevin Allen, Reigate Road, Brighton