Wrexham: Calls for Welsh government to withdraw from housing plan
LDPs are aimed at guiding decisions on future development proposals, while addressing needs and opportunities specific to each area. Councillors in Wrexham have voted for a motion asking the Welsh government to withdraw the authority's local development plan "as a matter of urgency".Councillor Marc Jones said the plan was passed overwhelmingly with 35 for, none against and 12 abstentions."We want to work with the government to take this forward now. There are some big contentious issues to sort out, not least the two big key strategic sites on either side of the town. "If the LDP had been allowed to stand these two sites alone would mean more than 3,100 extra houses."This more than anything - along with protecting greenfield sites - has been critical to the opposition that's grown in the community and within the council itself."
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Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Record number of over-60s are referred to anti-terrorism scheme amid overall explosion in 'extreme right wing' views
Record numbers of over-60s are being referred to the Government's troubled anti-terrorism scheme, the Daily Mail can reveal today. Home Office figures show 127 adults in their 60s or beyond were put on Prevent's radar in 2023/24 - the most since records began in 2016. Of them, 43 had sparked alarm for expressing 'extreme right wing' views. Extreme right wing ideologies 'can be broadly characterised as cultural nationalism, white nationalism and white supremacism', officials say. Guidance published online states they also use violence to further their aims. Yet free speech campaigners fear that anyone critical of mass immigration might be being wrongly labelled an 'extremist'. Last month, it was revealed how Prevent training documents listed sharing the view that Western culture was 'under threat from mass migration and a lack of integration' was a 'terrorist ideology'. And in 2023, it emerged that popular British sitcoms, including comedies Yes Minister and The Thick Of It, were marked as 'key texts' for white nationalists. Even the 1955 epic war film The Dam Busters and The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare were flagged as possible red flags of extremism by Prevent's Research Information and Communications Unit. Across all age groups, more than 1,300 people were referred to Prevent last year for 'extreme right wing' behaviour, including 27 kids under the age of ten. While 'extreme right wing' referrals have been stable since records began in 2016, the reports for over 60s in all categories has more than doubled - rising from 59 in 2016, to 127 in 2023. Over the same period, the overall number of referrals under the Islamist umbrella has plunged by 75 per cent, from 3,706 to 913 - or 13 per cent of the total. Islamist terrorism relates to 'the threat or use of violence as a means to establish a strict interpretation of an Islamic society'. A damning public report warned in 2023 that Prevent had been experiencing a 'loss of focus' as it had become distracted by far right cases, rather than concentrating on Islamists. In his long-awaited 188-page report, William Shawcross claimed too many resources were being focused on right-wing terrorism rather than its Islamist equivalent, which has been responsible for far more deadly attacks. Since 2015, the law has placed public bodies, such as schools and the police, under a legal duty to identify people in danger of turning to extremism. But the £49million-a-year Prevent scheme has faced huge criticism over its failures in spotting Islamist terror sympathisers, including those with links to notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana was also missed, despite being referred to the deradicalisation body three times before he went on to knife three children to death in July 2024. The scheme works by local council-appointed Prevent coordinators taking referrals from public servants like teachers and social workers, with each individual of concern categorised by their ideology. Less serious cases are dealt with by councils, who can offer services like mentoring or parenting support, while the more serious ones go to Channel, where a panel of local officials, including police, will recommend the next steps. If Prevent officers find no risk of radicalisation while conducting initial checks, the case is immediately closed. Potential threats from left wing organisations are also included in the annual Prevent figures, although an exact toll is not provided as counter-terror chiefs view the risk as slim. Expressing sympathy or admiration for the likes of Adolf Hitler or praising extremists would be enough to risk being flagged to Prevent if overheard by a teacher, social worker or even work colleague. However concerns have been raised after Prevent has also been flagging far more mainstream views. Pictures from a Prevent online training course emerged last month which highlighted 'dangerous' beliefs such as 'Cultural nationalism' and the idea 'Western culture is under threat'. Critics warned the definition of 'cultural nationalism' is too broad and could even encompass the likes of Sir Keir Starmer's 'island of strangers' speech - despite polling showing most Brits agreed with him. There are three categories of 'Extreme right-wing' terrorism according to Prevent. They are 'Cultural nationalism', 'white/ethno-nationalism' and 'white supremacism' What is Prevent? Prevent was set up in 2006 to combat the threat of Islamic terrorism in the UK following the 7/7 London bombings which killed 52 commuters. The stated aim of the voluntary programme is to 'divert' people from potential terrorism-related activity before they offend, and it is not a criminal sanction. Since 2015, local authority staff and other professionals such as doctors, teachers and social workers have a duty to flag concerns about an individual being radicalised or drawn into a terrorism. Less serious reports may be sent to council services, which could include parenting support for families whose children have been watching inappropriate videos online. Serious reports are forwarded on to Prevent's Channel stage, at which a panel of local police, healthcare specialists and social workers meeting monthly will consider the case. Hundreds of Prevent officers also work inside police forces and local authorities to identify potential extremists, and intervene with a programme of deradicalisation. Over the years, Prevent has been reformed several times. Each year, thousands staff undergo Prevent training. Prevent faced a barrage of criticism last year when a 12-year-old schoolboy was investigated by counter-extremism officers after he declared there 'are only two genders'. The child made a video, posted online, in which he also stated: 'There's no such thing as non-binary'. But the school told the boy's mother they would refer him to Prevent amid fears he could be at risk of being radicalised by the far-right. The boy's mother was visited by Prevent and Northumbria Police officers, in a meeting she described as 'an interrogation'. Other teenage boys face investigation by anti-terrorism officers if they make sexist remarks in the classroom, it was claimed. One source said previously comments about a 'woman's place being in the kitchen' could be enough to spark a referral to the unit. The personal details of those referred to Prevent are retained on its databases for at least six years and duplicated across police and intelligence systems. It comes as counter terrorism officers urged parents to keep an eye out for signs that their child could be drawn into extremism after Netflix's Adolescence became a topic of mainstream political debate. In April, the Met Police's Prevent co-coordinator told parents to 'take an active interest' in their child's online activities so they can be aware of signs that they could be vulnerable to radicalisation. Adolescence examines so-called incel (involuntary celibate) culture, which is related to violence and hating women. However, the latest data shows incels make up less than one per cent of Prevent referrals. Prevent is the first tier in the Government's anti radicalisation strategy. After an initial discussion with police, a case can be diverted to Channel process - a voluntary programme designed to support people deemed terrorist threats. People who accept help from Channel can get assistance through mentoring, religious guidance, education and even help with housing and hobbies in a bid to lead them away from trouble. If people at risk of radicalisation refuse help or are at continued risk of radicalisation, they will be continually monitored by police. In the past, Prevent has been criticised by groups who claim it discriminates against Muslims and children. Others have claimed it lacks transparency, as people are often unaware why they have been referred or how they can challenge it. However a study by the Counter Extremism Group, a think tank close to the government, previously found many of the attacks on the programme were misguided and relied largely on 'speculation and unproven assumptions' by 'anti-Prevent activists'. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'Since it first came into existence two decades ago, the Prevent programme has dealt with a wide range of individuals where concerns have been raised about their potential radicalisation. 'The make-up of the individuals referred to Prevent may change over time, but the role of the programme in stopping people from becoming terrorists remains the same.' The number of referrals might include individuals who have been reported more than once during the year.
Telegraph
25 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Red Cross flies refugees' families to Britain
The British Red Cross is paying for hundreds of families to come to the UK to be reunited with migrants granted asylum, despite growing concerns over housing shortages. The charity locates, advises and funds the travel costs of up to 1,000 family members a year to come from abroad to join people who have been granted refugee status. They are a portion of the record 20,000 family visas granted to children and wives or partners of refugees to join them in Britain. Home Office figures show the overall number of successful applications for family visas has increased five-fold in three years, from 4,310 in the year to March 2023 to 20,592 in the year to this March. Migrants granted asylum or refugee status in the UK can sponsor family members to come to the UK, with charities like the Red Cross providing advice and funds to help them. Immigration rules mean that, unlike with other visas, family members coming to the UK are not required to demonstrate that they have the necessary accommodation or income to be able to live in the UK without claiming universal credit or housing benefits. There is also no requirement that they have to speak English. Council officials have expressed concern that the growing numbers of asylum seekers and their families securing refugee status in the UK are placing unsustainable burdens on local housing. Following The Telegraph's investigation, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, signalled a shake-up in family reunions, which is likely to include new conditions and restrictions on refugees seeking to bring their families to the UK. It is understood ministers are considering following other European states that bar migrants granted asylum from applying to reunite with their families until they have spent a number of years in the country. At present, they can apply as soon as they are granted asylum. Ms Cooper told The Telegraph that the family reunion system Labour inherited from the Tories was 'broken'. She said the entire family immigration system – including migrants' use of human rights laws – was being reviewed, with changes expected to be announced later this year. 'That also includes looking at increasing responsibilities for people to support their families, increasing English language requirements, and examining changes in this area that other countries have brought in,' she said. Backlog The increase in family reunion visas has been fuelled by the Government's efforts to speed up the processing of asylum applications to clear the backlog and move asylum seekers out of hotels. Once granted asylum, they can work and have 28 days to vacate their taxpayer-funded hotel or other accommodation. This has, however, had a knock-on effect for councils, which have to house the successful applicants. 'Asylum and resettlement affects all councils' capacity to source temporary accommodation given wider housing system pressures,' said the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents the 317 councils in England. With a record 114,116 asylum seekers' applications granted in the past two years, the LGA urged ministers to 'jointly manage' with councils their speeded-up processing of asylum claims to 'prevent homelessness pressures and a cost shunt to councils'. One council official who handles homeless families told The Telegraph that migrants who brought their families over could no longer live in single accommodation, and after eviction would turn to the council to rehouse them. The official said they alone dealt with up to two families a month flown in by the Red Cross or other agencies. 'The Red Cross go and locate their families under the law that they have a right to a family life, pay for them to fly over and they end up dumped on the local authority doorstep,' said the officer. 'Half, or rather 99 per cent, of the time the refugees don't work, speak English, or have any intentions of working.' The official said the families often comprised four to six children, which meant they had to be put up in hotels or private rented accommodation at taxpayers' expense until a large enough property could be found – a process that could take years. 'If we can find temporary accommodation houses we will find them, but they are absolutely rammed. There is no space in any of them,' the official said. 'Everyone is going mad about illegal migrants, but an illegal migrant is one person. By the time the Red Cross is finished with them, it is a family. 'I don't think your average member of the public realises what the donations are going to, because it is causing this complete [housing] chaos.' The Red Cross said that last year it covered the travel costs of 288 families reuniting with refugees in the UK. They comprised 959 people, of whom 702 were children. The charity said the numbers had been stable over the past few years. Nearly half (46.4 per cent) of the Red Cross's money comes from donations and legacies, with a further 37.9 per cent from charitable activities. Of the £238 million it spent last year, an eighth (12.1 per cent) was spent on 'displacement and migration'. Its website states: 'Do you have family members with family reunion visas living overseas? We may be able to arrange and pay for your family's flights to join you in the UK.' However, it warns that it gets 'many requests' and has 'limited funding'. Its 68-page guide to family reunion states that families will have to prove pre-existing relationships with documents and potentially DNA tests but do not need to 'pay an application fee, meet any financial or accommodation requirement [or]...any English language requirements.' It says that families deemed ineligible could seek to appeal under article eight rights to a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights by claiming they had 'exceptional' or 'compelling and compassionate grounds.' Advice and integration support Ellie Shepherd, the British Red Cross head of refugee support, said the organisation had a 'proud history' of supporting family reunion. 'Our support ranges from tracing family members who may have lost contact in conflict zones, to advice and integration support,' she added. 'We've worked with mothers who have been separated from their babies, husbands who haven't seen their wives for years, and children desperate to reunite with their siblings. The majority of cases we support are to reunite children with parents. 'We know from our experience that bringing families back together makes an immense difference to people's lives. It helps people better integrate into communities and contribute to society – some people speak about it being the moment their lives truly restart. 'Family reunion visas are also one of the few safe and legal ways to help bring people – mostly women and children – from danger to safety.' The Red Cross said it also 'worked hard' to notify local councils of family reunions.
Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Asylum seekers 'move into' four-star Canary Wharf hotel under cover of darkness despite anti-migrant protests
People believed to be asylum seekers appear to have moved into a glitzy four-star hotel in London under the cover of darkness. A coach full of suspected migrants was seen arriving at the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf at around 1.40am on Saturday morning. Tower Hamlets Council confirmed the Government intends to use the hotel - which has around 500 rooms - for asylum seekers in a move that has angered anti-migrant protesters and guests whose bookings have been cancelled. Footage of the passengers getting off the coach showed they were all men, with the vast majority dressed in matching grey tracksuit tops and bottoms. They were helped by masked security guards, some of whom appeared to be wearing body cameras. Last week, workers were seen hauling beds and mattresses into the hotel in preparation for the arrival of 'hundreds' of asylum seekers. A barricade of metal fencing was placed around the hotel by the Metropolitan Police after anti-migrant demonstrators protested the plan for immigrants to be housed there. Met Police officers were called to the Britannia International Hotel last week amid warnings the 'discontent is real' in Britain. Footage on social media shows eggs were thrown, while a police helicopter was circling above as officers on the ground blocked the entrance to the hotel which has more than 500 rooms and is located on the waterfront of the South Dock. The Canary Wharf protest did not reach the violence seen in Epping, with YouTuber-types making up a large proportion of the crowd in preparation for any tension. However, there were still dozens of protesters - some wearing masks and others draped in St George's flags. One placard said: 'This is a peaceful protest to protect our own.' Counter-protesters also gathered outside the scene - and in one clip appeared to be escorted away from the hotel by police as protesters followed behind. Furious hotel guests have left damning reviews online, claiming they were told their stays were 'cancelled'. One wrote: 'My confirmed reservation was cancelled less than 24 hours before my stay via a brief phone call, citing a 'private hire' event.' Another said: 'Completely unprofessional company. Hotel cancelled my booking at last minute because they had a bulk booking.' And a third fumed: 'Booked in for three nights on 18th July. Told we couldn't stay on Sunday night no explanation but waiter said they were closing. Left to go to other hotel 1 hr away on Sunday. Waste of a day.' While guests claimed they were not given a reason for the cancellations, a spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council confirmed: 'We are aware of the Government's decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. 'It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel. 'We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place.' Local residents group chief Maxi Gorynski is an IT worker renting a high-rise flat in Canary Wharf. He made clear he wanted to distinguish himself and fellow residents from far-right demonstrators, saying they were 'notably distinct'. However, he told the Financial Times he was concerned the suspected asylum seekers could bring 'bag theft and gig economy fraud, all the way up to robbery, arson, sexual assault, rape, even murder' to their area. Felicity J Lord estate agent John Costea also told the FT that clients from the UK and abroad had asked 'many questions' about what is going on, such as 'how is it going to reflect their property value'. The Daily Mail has contacted the Home Office for comment. Protests have broken out across the country this summer, with more than 150 gathering outside The Park Hotel, in Diss, Norfolk last week after the Home Office announced plans to change it from housing asylum-seeker families to single men. Trouble first broke out in Epping two weeks ago after Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the town by attempting to kiss her. He denies the charges. The protest started peacefully, but descended into frenzied violence when anti-migrant demonstrators clashed with counter protesters and police. Essex Police has faced major questions after footage emerged of officers escorting pro-migrant activists to the hotel - despite the force initially denying this has happened. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted footage allegedly showing pro-migrant protesters being 'bussed' to the demonstration in police vans but Essex Police said this was 'categorically' untrue. However, after footage emerged of cops leading pro-migrant activists to the hotel by foot, Essex police admitted its officers had escorted the protesters. Farage had called for Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington to quit, saying it was 'absolutely disgraceful' and 'heads must roll'. But Chief Constable Harrington rejected claims his officers had given a higher level of protection to pro-migrant protesters. He said: 'The only protection that officers are doing is to those lawful and law-abiding people, whether they are in that accommodation, whether they are the people of Epping or whether they are people who are standing there with placards and banners wishing to make a very important and legitimate view, whichever your views about it. 'Where officers have intervened that is because there has been are not being partial in any way, shape or form.' When asked if he would resign, he said: 'No, I am not going to do that. This is not about me, this is about the communities of Essex... the issue is not about my resignation.' He said Essex Police made 10 arrests, adding: 'What has been unacceptable has been the people who have come to Epping and committed violence, who have attacked people who work at the hotel, who have attacked officers, who have damaged property and who have caused fear and disruption to the people of Epping. 'That is not tolerable, it will not be tolerated, and to that end, we have made 10 arrests.' In a warning to Farage and other politicians about their online posts, he added: 'It is not the police's job to clamp down on elected politicians... All I am asking is that people are responsible about what they say and they consider the real world consequences.' MPs and council leaders have raised fears that Britain could be heading for another 'summer of riots' - in a repeat of the street violence that followed the Southport murders last year. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner warned that anger at high levels of illegal immigration is risking social cohesion in Britain's poorest communities and must be addressed. Her comments came after Sir Keir Starmer was warned by Epping Forest Council Leader Christ Whitbread that the UK is a 'powder keg' that could explode. Newly appointed shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly criticised the Prime Minister for a 'disconnect from reality' when it comes to housing asylum seekers.
