Conservative minister Kemi Badenoch has endorsed calls for public referendums on whether asylum seekers should be housed at RAF Barnham in Suffolk, stating the polls reflect a demand for help and a desire for stronger borders.
Badenoch, speaking to the BBC ahead of her party conference, said the referendums were a “good way of showing the strength of public feeling” and that the public were “asking for help”. She added that the Conservative Party had a borders plan that would “make sure we take control of our streets and communities”.
The Home Office has described accommodation at military bases as a “temporary” and cheaper alternative to hotels, and is considering sending more than 1,000 asylum seekers to RAF Barnham while their applications are processed. Residents of the nearby parish council have expressed concerns about potential increases in anti‑social behaviour and crime, prompting the council to contemplate an independence referendum, though such a vote would be purely symbolic and not affect governance.
Reform UK members on Suffolk County Council have also called for a public referendum on housing asylum seekers at the RAF base. The Green Party opposition dismissed the proposal as a diversion, while the Labour group said the council had “better things to spend its money on”.
Badenoch defended the use of security officers in nearby Essex towns, noting that the chief constable of Essex Police had said local crime was “very low”. She reiterated that police are responsible for crime prevention, not waiting for incidents to occur, and cited a jailed migrant resident of the Bell Hotel in Epping as an example of the need for vetting.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has acknowledged residents’ concerns and said he is open to making changes where possible. The government does not record criminal offences by immigration status, but the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford reports that foreign nationals in England and Wales are convicted at roughly the same rate as British nationals.
As the debate continues, Badenoch maintains that the public’s call for help signals the need for decisive action on asylum policy and border security.
