A council leader told hundreds gathered at a public meeting last week that he would only stop believing Sutton Bridge flats won’t house asylum seekers once written clarification was received from the Home Office.
Coun Nick Worth said he ‘didn’t trust’ the owners of The Bridge Hotel local firm API which is turning the building into 15 flats.
His authority, South Holland District Council, put out a statement two weeks ago claiming the Home Office’s intended to buy it for those seeking asylum.
That led to the South Holland MP Sir John Hayes calling a public meeting at The Curlew Centre in Sutton Bridge last Friday (June 5).
An estimated 400 turned up with many standing outside both entrances or heading home as they couldn’t get in.
Sir John told the meeting that he’d invited API to attend but they’d declined though agreed to meet him beforehand.
“I asked them a very plain question, could they give me a cast iron guarantee they are not going to use the apartments for asylum seekers.
“They said they could give me that cast iron guarantee.
“Furthermore, they said they’d not signed a contract with the Home Office, not negotiated a price with them and not come to a conclusion.”
“The Home Secretary needs to say the Home Office is no longer going to pursue this.
“It’s OK now but we don’t want to be in the same situation in six months’ time.
“We want to get an assurance from the top.”
It followed Coun Worth saying: “I don’t trust API. I’ve dealt with them before.
“Until I get that definitive letter from the Home Office I will presume it’s still going ahead.”
He reiterated his opinion that the site isn’t suitable, despite his Planning Committee having deemed it sustainable when passing permission for the flats with only 12 parking spaces, because of its links with public transport.
For the most part the speakers told the baying crowd what they wanted to hear.
Several residents spoke of fearing criminal asylum seekers and there was no pushing back on the stereotype from the panel.
Only one person stated her support for housing them locally but she quickly left after being barracked by the crowd.
One person from the Deepings asked about Sir John’s use of the word ‘illegals’ and that ‘as an MP’ he ‘should know’ that not all asylum seekers are illegal.
Anyone can claim asylum in a country, regardless of how they enter said country.
They’re classed as ‘asylum seekers’ while the Home Office investigates if they have a legitimate reason to believe they face persecution in their home country.
The most recent government figures say ‘half of asylum seekers arrived through illegal routes, such as small boats or clandestine methods’.
After the member of the public was drowned out with calls including to ‘get out’, Sir John just responded:
“Anyone who comes across The Channel without papers, permission or identifying documents is committing a criminal act.”
He did not mention those who come through legally.
Sir John did highlight a contradiction in any Home Office plan for the former Bridge Hotel.
“The government’s policy is not to concentrate people in one place which is why it’s moving away from putting asylum seekers in hotels,” he said. “You’ve got to question why the Home Office felt it was idea to focus on the Bridge Hotel in the first place.
“It’s their own policy not to concentrate people, not ours.”
Sir John also urged for peaceful protests.
“I know people in Sutton Bridge and they do not riot, they’re not going to be violent,” he said. “As soon as we result to violence we begin to lose the argument.
“We can win this argument by the kind of conversation we’re having here tonight, by having right on our side and because it’s the wrong number for the wrong site with the wrong policy.
“Some say we can’t win this, but I’m telling you we will.”
API was contacted for a comment but The Voice had not received a response at the time of going to press.
