Plans to house asylum seekers in a town centre flat in Suella Braverman’s constituency have been dropped after the MP launched a fightback against the proposal.
The Home Office had proposed to house 35 asylum seekers in a converted high-street clothes shop in Waterlooville, Hampshire.
PA | Former home secretary Suella Braverman MPNow, officials have told the former home secretary that the Home Office contractor Clearsprings will no longer be seeking to “procure” a space in the town.
Braverman, who has been the MP in the region since 2015, slammed the plans as “outrageous”, “reckless” and “insulting to local people”.
While the former home secretary welcomed the decision, she warned that the “invasion” needed to stop.
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She told The Telegraph: “We must not give up. This invasion must end. Any person who arrives illegally in our country must be detained in a secure facility and deported.
“I am very pleased that the Home Office has been forced to U-turn on their plans to house illegal migrants in Waterlooville.
“Thank you to the 10,000+ local people who signed my petition and peacefully protested to stop this plan.
“Those of us who have stood up against this have been called racist, ‘inflammatory’ and ‘divisive’.
“We are none of these things. Well done to the patriotic people of Waterlooville who took a stand for our community and for our country.”
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A protest took place in Waterlooville in July
However, Braverman has clashed with Havant Borough Council Leader Phil Munday, who previously accused her of seeking to “exacerbate fear”.
Munday said the authority had raised concerns about the building not being compliant with fire regulations, and asked how the safety of its inhabitants would be ensured.
He said: “To be absolutely clear, the council did not approve the use of the building.
“Inaccurate terminology on a topic which is emotional for many is deeply inappropriate, potentially inflammatory and ultimately misleading the residents we are here to serve.
“I urge the Member of Parliament to consider her words on this issue more wisely going forward.”
The Home Office said in a letter to Braverman that it would still be seeking to house asylum seekers in her area “to ensure that we can meet our statutory responsibilities”.
Labour has adopted a “fair share” approach in which it is attempting to ensure all councils play a part in housing asylum seekers rather than concentrating their accommodation in particular local authorities.
Earlier this week, a Home Office spokesman said: “Since taking office, we have taken immediate action to fix the asylum system and have started closing down hotels and returning more than 35,000 people with no right to be here.
“From over 400 asylum hotels open in summer 2023, costing almost £9million a day, there are now less than 210, and we want them all closed by the end of this Parliament.
“We will continue to work closely with community partners across the country, and discuss any concerns they have, as we look to fix this broken system together.”
