ASYLUM seekers should be housed in town centres, senior Labour councillors say in leaked emails.
Migrants must be near shops, schools, GP surgeries and transport to “integrate” faster and “combat racist rhetoric”, they argue.
Gillian Harris wrote: ‘Asylum seekers need to be placed near to shops and communities’
The messages, seen by The Sun, come amid a national row over where asylum seekers should live.
They were exchanged in the wake of 1,000 people marching through a town in Havant, Hants to oppose plans to house asylum seekers above shops.
On July 31, senior Havant councillor Gillian Harris wrote: “Asylum seekers need to be placed near to shops and communities.
“It can counter racist rhetoric being peddled.”
On August 11, cllr Jason Horton added: “We should consider locations of schools, shops, surgeries and transport where asylum seekers can meet locals and integrate.”
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “To want to house these people in the heart of our town against the wishes of local people is one of the most out of touch things I have ever heard.
“These cllrs should put their money where their mouth is and take in these asylum seekers.
“These people have broken into our country, they need to be securely detained before being deported.
“Both councillors should resign and face the public for their duplicity.”
Ms Braverman, who is the local MP, was one of the leading voices against the scheme in Waterlooville.
Asylum seekers should be housed in town centres, senior Labour councillors say in leaked emailsAFP Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
