“I’ve always thought that the best politicians try and bring people together, and the very worst politicians try and drive them apart.”
A government minister has slammed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as ‘the very worst kind of politician’ over the way he has targeted hotels with asylum seekers.
Dan Jarvis accused the Reform UK leader of fanning the flames of division after a number of protests flared up outside hotels housing asylum seekers after Farage celebrated a council’s successful legal challenge against one in Epping.
The injunction was sought by Epping Forest District Council to stop migrants being placed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, which is owned by Somani Hotels Limited. The injunction was given despite a last minute effort from the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to get the council’s case dismissed.
Mr Justice Eyre granted the injunction after hearing the local council’s complaints that planning law had been breached in changing the site’s use.
Epping district council also cited disruption caused by the protests and concerns for the safety of the asylum seekers themselves.
In response to the injunction, Farage wrote an article in the Telegraph in which he said: “Now, the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain.
“Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex.
“Let’s hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win.”
Speaking to Sky News about Farage’s comments, Jarvis said: “I’ve always thought that the best politicians try and bring people together, and the very worst politicians try and drive them apart.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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