Councilors Call for Asylum Seekers to Live Near Shops and Schools to Help Integration

A row over where asylum seekers should be housed has sparked fresh controversy after two senior councilors in Havant suggested that placing them near shops, schools, and public transport could help them integrate faster and tackle racist rhetoric.

The messages, seen by The Sun, were exchanged following protests in Havant, Hampshire, where around 1,000 people marched to oppose plans to house asylum seekers above shops in the town.

On July 31, senior Havant councilor Gillian Harris argued that asylum seekers should be placed near local amenities, stating: “Asylum seekers need to be placed near to shops and communities. It can counter racist rhetoric being peddled.”

Just a couple of weeks later, on August 11, Cllr Jason Horton backed her up, adding: “We should consider locations of schools, shops, surgeries and transport where asylum seekers can meet locals and integrate.”

These comments came at a time when the topic of asylum seeker accommodation was becoming increasingly divisive, with many residents opposed to the plans.

However, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who represents the area, strongly disagreed with the councilors’ approach. She called their suggestion “one of the most out of touch things I have ever heard,” and criticized the councilors for ignoring the wishes of the local community.

“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,” she said. “These councilors 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 councilors should resign and face the public for their duplicity.”

Braverman, who is the local MP, has been one of the most vocal critics of the scheme in Waterlooville, arguing that the government’s approach to asylum seekers is failing to address local concerns.

The ongoing dispute highlights the deep divisions across the UK over how to manage the growing number of asylum seekers and where they should be housed. While some believe integration is the key to tackling racism and encouraging peaceful communities, others feel strongly that asylum seekers should not be placed in areas that locals do not want them.