Suella Braverman criticises plans to house asylum seekers in former shop
She wrote: '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.
'Our town has undergone a transformation and become a welcoming place to work, invest, shop, dine and play. Decisions such as yours will once again make our town centres no-go zones for the patriotic, common-sense majority.'
The MP, who has started a petition against the proposal, also stated on her website: 'This site, in the centre of our town, is utterly inappropriate for migrant accommodation. It must be stopped.'
A spokesman for Havant Borough Council said the local authority had not initially been consulted on the plans after Clearsprings, a procurement company employed by the Home Office for the project, had used an 'incorrect email address' in a bid to contact the council and had not followed up when it had not received a response.
The council has now been granted a 10-day consultation period on the proposals and the Labour leader Phil Munday is to meet with the Home Office.
He said: 'Combined with my imminent Home Office meeting, everything is being done to ensure our voice is heard whilst dealing with a challenge being felt nationally. I look forward to the council providing a response that reflects the concerns of the borough.'
Mr Munday also criticised Ms Braverman for referring to asylum seekers as 'illegal migrants' on her website.
He said: 'They are categorically not recognised by the state as illegal immigrants – regardless of the headline-grabbing title of Suella Braverman's petition – and I urge people to consider this in their views and actions.'
A Home Office spokeswoman said it was in 'active dialogue' with the local authority and added: 'We are working to fairly disperse asylum seekers across the country, consulting closely with local authorities and listening to local concerns.'
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