Andrew Snowden MP has strongly backed Fylde Borough Council’s decision to call on the Government to stop Serco from placing asylum seekers in the borough, warning that local housing must be prioritised for local residents.
At Fylde’s Full Council meeting, councillors voted to demand immediate action from the Labour Government, including a suspension of private housing procurement by Government contractor Serco. The Council also called for urgent support and funding for its housing team, who are already under significant pressure supporting families facing homelessness, veterans, and those fleeing domestic violence.
Andrew Snowden MP said:
“I’ve been very outspoken on this subject, and Fylde Council are absolutely right to call this out. Local housing should be for local people, for families facing homelessness, for veterans, for those fleeing domestic violence. It should not be taken up by Serco are trying to place people here without consultation.
Disgracefully, Labour and one of the Independents on Fylde Council voted against this motion. They’d rather side with Serco than stand up for local residents.”
The MP also criticised Labour’s wider record on immigration, pointing to their decision to scrap the Rwanda scheme just before it was due to go live:
“Labour and their lefty lawyers scrapped the Rwanda scheme just before it was about to go live. That was a proper deterrent ready to make a real difference. Since then the boats haven’t stopped, the numbers have soared, and now the Government are trying to quietly shift the problem into towns like ours. It’s a complete betrayal of the promises made to voters.”
Andrew Snowden has vowed to continue fighting alongside Fylde and Wyre councillors to oppose Serco’s placements and ensure the voices of local people are heard:
“The number of asylum seekers being housed here in Fylde over recent months has doubled, I will not stand by while Fylde and Wyre are treated as a dumping ground. The Government must get a grip, stop the boats, restart removals, and back our councils instead of ignoring them.”
The MP is urging residents to share their views on the issue by taking part in his online survey on illegal immigration, which has already received hundreds of responses from Fylde and Wyre residents.
