An independent councillor claims he was reported to police for “stirring up hate” after questioning why homeless veterans could not also be housed in four-star hotels being used for Afghan migrants, following revelations of a secret government scheme costing billions.
John Edwards, who serves on Sandhurst Town Council, says he was “smeared” after calling for transparency about Bracknell Forest Council’s decision to house more than 300 Afghan nationals in local hotels whilst British veterans and residents faced inadequate housing conditions.
The controversy has intensified after it emerged that nearly 20,000 Afghans were secretly relocated to the UK following a catastrophic Ministry of Defence email blunder that was covered up through an unprecedented superinjunction for 18 months.
Police Report Over “Transparency” Call
Cllr Edwards was allegedly reported to authorities by Labour councillor Cherise Welch, who accused him of “stirring up hate” after he suggested key information was being withheld from Berkshire residents about the resettlement scheme.
In response to his Facebook post in April calling for equal support for local residents and veterans, Cllr Welch dismissed his concerns as “complete nonsense”, stating she had reported him to “the MOD, Council and local police.
Speaking to GB News and other media outlets, the independent councillor revealed he had been “inundated with heartbreaking messages” from struggling locals, including a veteran with two young children living in a mould-infested single-bed flat.
“He served in Afghanistan. He said, I know what these guys did, I want them to be safe. I want us to help, but where’s my help?” Edwards quoted the veteran as saying.
£7 Billion Cover-up Revealed
The councillor’s concerns have gained new significance following Tuesday’s revelation that the government had used a superinjunction to hide a massive data breach affecting thousands of Afghans who had worked with British forces.
In February 2022, a Special Forces soldier accidentally emailed a spreadsheet containing personal information of 18,714 Afghan nationals outside authorised government systems. The list included names, contact details, and UK sponsors including SAS and MI6 personnel.
Defence Secretary John Healey told Parliament that the breach led to the creation of a secret Afghan Relocation Route scheme in April 2024, which has already cost £400 million to relocate 4,500 people, with projections suggesting the total cost could reach £7 billion.
It was reported recently that Taliban fighters were on the flights being brought to the UK and being offered places in the hotels, while British vets remain homeless,” Cllr Edwards stated. “The main worry is that all of this was being covered up.”
Four-Star Hotels and “Wraparound Care”
The councillor outlined the support being provided to Afghan nationals, including four-star hotel accommodation with all meals catered, private healthcare delivered outside the NHS, and comprehensive resettlement assistance.
I want to make it clear that everyone arriving on this scheme must be treated with respect and dignity,” Edwards wrote in his original Facebook post. “But I also believe it’s completely reasonable to ask what impact this scheme will have on our area.”
He questioned: “If the money is there to house Afghans in a four-star hotel, why aren’t any of the Labour, Lib Dem or Conservative councillors asking why this hasn’t been provided for Bracknell’s veterans or residents first?
Democratic Scrutiny Under Fire
Cllr Edwards expressed shock at being investigated for exercising democratic scrutiny of public policy. “I was under the impression we lived in a democratic society and believed in scrutiny of policies,” he told reporters.
“The local government has just come for me. I can’t recall any situation where a councillor has been hauled in for an investigation after scrutinising a policy.”
He added: “I struggle to see what part of my post actually breached the code of conduct. Politically motivated complaints have to be evidenced, but when I asked what I’d done, I was met with vague terms like ‘spreading hate’.”
Council Motion Voted Down
When Bracknell Forest Council debated a Liberal Democrat motion to welcome Afghan nationals in May, Cllr Edwards tabled an amendment calling for “the same level of support” for Bracknell residents and veterans.
“I put in an amendment which said that we also recognise that Bracknell residents should be at the same level of support, and veterans as well, and they voted that down,” he revealed.
The councillor maintained his position was “totally uncontroversial” and focused on bringing “transparency” and “parity” to the scheme rather than opposing support for Afghan nationals.
National Security Implications
The MoD data breach, described by lawyers as a “catastrophic failure”, potentially exposed around 100,000 people including family members to Taliban reprisals. The Information Commissioner’s Office called it a “deeply regrettable incident that placed thousands of vulnerable people at risk.”
The breach was only discovered in August 2023 when excerpts appeared on Facebook, prompting former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to seek the unprecedented superinjunction to prevent media coverage.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that “Ministers who served under the [Conservative] party opposite have serious questions to answer about how this was ever allowed to happen.”
Ongoing Investigation
Cllr Edwards confirmed he had not been contacted by police directly and questioned whether a formal complaint had actually been filed. “Now I am being hounded and intimidated by baseless claims. I don’t even know if this has been reported to the police,” he said.
He strongly denied accusations that he had identified the hotel location by posting interior and exterior photos with backgrounds blurred out, maintaining he had taken appropriate precautions.
The councillor emphasised his criticism was directed at policy rather than people: “It’s not about the arrivals, it’s about the resources and the parity of support. Afghans who have supported our troops have rightly been assisted, but it will be hard for veterans in our local area to not see these as a slap in the face.”
Councillor Welch has been approached for comment regarding the allegations but has not responded at the time of publication.
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