Latest news with #GrahamButland
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
RAF base near Epping to house more migrants
The number of migrants being housed at a former RAF base close to the site of protests over asylum seekers in Essex is set to increase sharply, a council leader has revealed. MDP Wethersfield in Essex – which is 30 miles from the scene of confrontations over migrants being housed at a hotel in Epping – has been home to hundreds of single male asylum seekers since July 2023. Graham Butland, the Conservative leader of Braintree district council, said the authority was told last week that the number could rise from the current 800 men to 1,220. Cllr Butland told a council meeting on Monday that the Home Office was considering using its 'temporary surge capacity' to meet the demand of asylum seekers arriving in the UK. He said 'although no final decision has been made', numbers could rise 'as soon as next week'. This has led to local speculation that migrants from The Bell Hotel in Epping, where there have been frequent stand-offs between anti-migrant protesters and counter-protesters, could be moved to the former base. Any such move has been denied by the Home Office, which said the two locations were 'completely different issues'. The rise in the number likely to be housed at MDP Wethersfield comes as Epping district council said the Home Office must close The Bell Hotel and move the migrants out. Councillors voted unanimously on Thursday to urge the Government to close the hotel where protests have been held since July 13. The Epping protests were triggered when Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a 38-year-old asylum seeker from Ethiopia, was charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. Mr Kebatu denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford magistrates' court on July 17. Later that evening, Essex Police was accused of escorting counter-protesters from Stand up to Racism to The Bell Hotel, where violent scuffles subsequently broke out. Police have made 18 arrests and charged seven people in connection with the Bell demonstrations. Essex Police said migrants staying at the hotel had been advised to remain indoors after 5pm and 'some had experienced verbal and physical harassment'. One resident had been chased and injured when returning to the hotel, and the premises had been daubed in graffiti, with windows smashed. Roger Hirst, Essex's police, fire and crime commissioner has urged Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to review the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers. James Cleverly, the Conservative former home secretary who represents Wethersfield in Parliament, has written to Ms Cooper asking her to 'urgently clarify the basis for this decision, the expected timeline, and how the Home Office intends to fulfil its obligations to the local authority and the local community going forward, especially in light of the current public concern and disorder just across the county in Epping'. In February, the Government increased the capacity at Wethersfield, which is six miles north-west of Braintree and was used as headquarters and training centre for the Ministry of Defence Police until 2022, from 580 to 800. Mark Ault, an independent councillor whose ward includes Wethersfield, told The Telegraph: 'It's inevitable there will be an increase in tension as a result of increasing the number of asylum seekers at the base – whether that's protests from the Left or the Right. 'Sir Keir Starmer has again reneged on his promise to close Wethersfield down and instead they are going to increase the numbers.' Nathan Robins, 19, interim chairman of Reform UK's Braintree branch, said: 'Unfortunately, when James Cleverly was home secretary, he allowed this [the location to be used] to go ahead. It's too late for him to be against it now, he should have been against it when he was home secretary. 'There are concerns about them being able to leave whenever they want – and they also get a free bus service. 'If you're an elderly resident and you don't get that treatment when you've been paying taxes all your life, it's just unbelievable. 'We need to start deporting people who come here illegally and leaving the ECHR to allow us to do that. Some residents who voted Labour have told me they will now never vote Labour again.' Mr Butland told councillors following the past week's disturbances in Epping that the utmost must be done 'to keep the temperature on this down and not exacerbate the situation'. The Home Office has said it is committed to providing a 'more sustainable and cost-effective asylum accommodation system', compared with the higher cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels. A spokesman said: 'The increase in capacity to 1,200 is for the short term and we intend to return it to 800 as soon as we can.' Whitehall sources said the Home Office has a legal obligation to meet the essential living needs of destitute asylum seekers and the Wethersfield site is designed to be as self-sufficient as possible. Sir Keir Starmer has refused to put a date on when the Government might stop placing asylum seekers at Wethersfield. A second police force was embroiled in a row this week over its escorting of anti-racism counter-protesters to a demonstration outside a migrant hotel. Footage showed officers from Hampshire Constabulary walking alongside activists in May to Potters International Hotel, a site in Aldershot housing asylum seekers and the location of regular anti-migrant demonstrations.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wethersfield airbase asylum seeker numbers expected to rise 50%
The number of migrants being housed at a former RAF station could increase by 50%, the local district council leader has Wethersfield in Essex has been home to hundreds of single male asylum seekers since July Conservative leader of Braintree District Council, Graham Butland, said the authority was told last week that the current number of about 800 men could rise to 1, Home Office was approached for comment. Butland told a full council meeting on Monday that the Home Office was considering using its "temporary surge capacity" to meet the demand of asylum seekers arriving in the said "although no final decision has been made" numbers could rise "as soon as next week". In February, the government increased the capacity at Wethersfield from 580 to Conservative Home Secretary James Cleverly represents Wethersfield in a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper he asked her to "urgently clarify the basis for this decision, the expected timeline, and how the Home Office intends to fulfil its obligations to the local authority and the local community going forward, especially in light of the current public concern and disorder just across the county in Epping".Independent councillor Michael Staines, who represents the Wethersfield area on Braintree District Council, said the news was a "huge concern".Butland cautioned councillors following the past week's protests and disturbances in Epping that "we do our utmost to keep the temperature on this down and not exacerbate the situation".The Home Office has said it is committed to providing a "more sustainable and cost-effective asylum accommodation system", compared with the higher cost of housing asylum seekers in Keir Starmer has refused to put a date on when the government might stop placing asylum seekers at Wethersfield. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
