'Offensive' and 'inaccurate' - MP Suella Braverman savaged by council over Waterlooville asylum seeker remarks
MP Suella Braverman has been savaged by Havant Borough Council (HBC) for her “inaccurate” and “offensive” comments in opposition to plans to house asylum seekers in Waterlooville that “flames fears”.
The Fareham and Waterlooville MP has been leading the charge to derail Labour plans to house 35 "illegal migrants” in London Road - with her accused of misleading the public over claims that “dangerous single men” would be homed.
Ms Braverman launched a petition to stop the “utterly inappropriate” plans before lashing out at HBC for not responding to a consultation from housing provider Clearsprings over the project and for failing to object to the proposals.
Ms Braverman and Conservative councillors on HBC wrote to the home secretary and the Labour leader of the council asking them to stop the plans. “Shamefully, we have been informed that HBC did not respond to the consultation from Clearsprings, the housing provider, and HBC did not object to the proposals. This is not good enough,” The MP fumed.
She continued: “Housing illegal migrants and 'asylum seekers' in Waterlooville town centre is totally wrong. Our local services are already under strain. This plan will dump further pressure on policing, healthcare, and public infrastructure, all while ignoring the legitimate concerns of residents who have been left voiceless.
“Waterlooville families deserve better than to have their town centre used as overflow accommodation because Labour has lost control of our borders after scrapping the Rwanda plan.
“Our town has undergone an amazing transformation and become a welcoming place to work, invest, shop, dine and play; decisions such as this will once again make our town centres no go zones for the patriotic, common-sense majority.
“This site, in the centre of our town, is utterly inappropriate for migrant accommodation. It must be stopped. If you agree, demand an immediate halt to this plan. Please sign our petition to tell the Home Office and Havant Borough Council what you think.”
The council has now acknowledged receipt of the petition and is now in formal consultation with the Home Office over the proposal. The council said its role is to report back on the feasibility of the proposal and “articulate practical concerns it may have”.
A statement from the council said: “The council can allude to the submission of the petition – once validated - in its response to the Home Office, but the very strict criteria of the Home Office’s consultation limits how this can be used in our response.
“Nevertheless, the council will do its utmost to reflect the view of residents when submitting its response. This is in addition to direct dialogues held between the Leader of the council and the Home Office regarding the proposed accommodation. As a result of these combined efforts, the Home Office have since confirmed that the accommodation is ‘best suited for the use of couples, or single parents with young children. There is one single flat which would most likely be utilised for a single adult female’.
“Suella Braverman has also been invited to take part in the consultation, and to represent the views of her constituents accordingly.”
Leader of HBC, councillor Phil Munday, said: “Having received the petition from Suella Braverman, I am yet again concerned with her repeated use of inaccurate language in her supporting letter which only seeks to exacerbate fear in the hearts and minds of our concerned residents.
“Repeated reference to illegal immigrants and unwanted men flames fears when we know as a matter of fact all users of the proposed accommodation are supported asylum seekers.
“Furthermore, the proposed use – as I discussed in depth with the Home Office personally – is that the accommodation would be used by a mix of families and individuals. This is a marked difference to the quite frankly offensive remarks that the proposed use of the site is to solely house dangerous single men of detriment to the borough.”
The consultation ends on Friday 1 August, after which the Home Office will decide whether to approve the proposed accommodation.
Similar plans for 27 flats at Wates House in Wallington Hill, Fareham town centre, were given the boot in April after fierce opposition.
Ms Braverman, celebrating the decision to abandon those plans, said at the time: “I am delighted that the Home Office has listened to me and local people and that Wates House will no longer be used for illegal immigrants. Thank you to over 1,000 local people who signed my petition.”