Essex locals resent government plan to house asylum seeking men at MoD facility
At an old airbase in a rural corner of Essex, it’s been a busy week.
Trees have been cut down, barriers put up and windows replaced in disused accommodation blocks.
For the residents living nearby, it’s proof that the rumours are true… MDP Wethersfield near Braintree, Essex, is about to become home to 1,500 asylum seekers, all of them men.
“We are told no decisions have been made, but we can clearly see things happening,” said Tony Clarke-Holland, who has lived beside the site for 25 years.
“We ask the questions and we’re just getting stonewalled. We’ve had no communication, so we’re not prepared.
“It’s really about the impact of the services… doctors, dentists, police, all those things. How is that even going to work? We just don’t know.”
Local resident Tony Clarke-Holland
The first discussion of the site being used began a few weeks back and there has even been talk of it happening as soon as April 1.
It’s currently home to the Ministry of Defence Police, which would relocate, as well as some army families, who would eventually be rehoused.
‘Absolutely dreadful’
Simone Sutcliffe has lived near the old base for 41 years and describes the prospect of it being used to house asylum seekers as “absolutely dreadful”.
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“The women on the base – the army wives – are frightened to death. The men will be wandering around,” she said.
“They will be stuck in the middle of nowhere, which is not fair for them either. I do have sympathy for them.”
The old airfield is surrounded by fields and only accessed by narrow country lanes without pavements. The nearest village is well over a mile away.
MDP Wethersfield
‘Deal with application backlog first’
Braintree District Council says it strongly believes that the site is unsuitable adding that the Home Office continues to indicate that it hasn’t made any decision yet.
The concerns are similar to those in communities living 130 miles north at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire – the former home of the Red Arrows and before that the famous Dambusters.
The local council had only just approved a deal to develop the 800-acre site earlier this month when talk began of asylum seekers being housed there.
Daniel Sohege, director of human rights organisation Stand for All, believes the government’s priority should be dealing with the asylum application backlog.
“Rather than spending hundreds and millions of pounds on these sorts of camps and unsuitable areas, the government needs to be looking at making sure that people are processed through the system faster, that they can start to rebuild their lives,” he said.
Government bid to clear hotels
It’s understood the bases would initially be kept for new arrivals, although it’s thought the idea is all part of the government’s plan to move asylum seekers out of around 400 hotels currently being used.
The calculations suggest 3,000 men in total would be temporarily housed at Scampton and Wethersfield.
But more than that have already arrived on small boats this year.
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Asylum seekers: ‘An act of sacrilege’
The government says the pressure on the asylum system is unprecedented and it’s committed to engaging with local authorities and key stakeholders.
But those living close to the old air bases feel they’re clearly being kept in the dark.
It’s likely to be a lively meeting when residents gather in the nearby village of Wethersfield to discuss their concerns on Sunday afternoon.
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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