Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has warned Cabinet ministers that high levels of illegal immigration risk damaging social cohesion in Britain’s most deprived communities, as violent clashes erupted outside a Norfolk hotel housing asylum seekers.
Speaking at Tuesday morning’s Cabinet meeting, Ms Rayner stressed the need to “acknowledge the real concerns people have” about immigration and economic insecurity, her remarks coming hours after around 150 protesters gathered outside the Park Hotel in Diss on Monday evening.
The demonstration saw approximately 60 protesters “shouting ‘we want our country back'” confronting counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism holding “refugees welcome” signs, with tensions escalating as the groups clashed outside the Grade II listed building.
Government Response to Rising Tensions
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman revealed that Ms Rayner had highlighted how “17 of the 18 places that saw the worst of last summer’s disorder ranked at the top of the most deprived”, whilst acknowledging Britain as a successful multi-ethnic nation requiring government action to address legitimate concerns.
When pressed on whether Ms Rayner linked immigration to last year’s violence, Number 10 stated: “I think she sees a link between concerns that people have about where the Government is acting on their behalf and acting in their interests, and a range of factors.
The Deputy Prime Minister cited multiple pressures on society including “immigration and increasing time spent online” alongside “economic insecurity, the rapid pace of deindustrialisation and declining trust in institutions.
Norfolk Council Opposition
South Norfolk Council has strongly opposed the Home Office decision to convert the Park Hotel from housing asylum-seeking families to single adult males, learning of the change through “a brief email from Whitehall last week.
Council leader Daniel Elmer wrote to the Home Office warning: “We feel the decision and intended timeframe poses significant risks and concerns to both community cohesion and the vulnerable single males who would be residing at the hotel.
He added: “A sudden shift to a SAM [Single Adult Male] hotel risks reigniting those tensions, especially in the absence of any community engagement or mitigation strategy from the Home Office.
The Park Hotel has housed asylum-seeking families since 2023, with many children attending local schools. Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, called the planned changes “deeply concerning”, noting: “Many of these families have been here for two years, becoming part of our community with their children going to local schools.”
Essex Violence Spreads Fears
The Norfolk protests follow violent demonstrations in Epping, Essex, where hundreds gathered outside the Bell Hotel after Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl just “eight days after arriving in the UK.
Eight police officers were injured during Thursday’s initial protest, with demonstrations continuing throughout the weekend as approximately 500 people gathered on Sunday.
Epping Forest District Council leader Chris Whitbread warned the situation had become “a powder keg”, telling BBC Newsnight: “We really have got to get this back under control.
He expressed concerns about far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, potentially attending future protests, stating: “Keep away, [you’re] not welcome here in Epping Forest.”
Political Warnings
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has claimed Britain is approaching “civil disobedience on a vast scale”, though he acknowledged “bad eggs” had attended the Epping protests.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Farage stated: “Don’t underestimate the simmering anger and disgust there is in this country that we are letting in every week, in fact some days, many hundreds of undocumented young males.”
He characterised most Epping demonstrators as “genuinely concerned families” rather than extremists, whilst acknowledging the presence of “far-right thugs”.
Local Concerns
The protests have exposed deep community divisions over asylum accommodation. Julian Bareham, 71, who lives opposite the Park Hotel in Diss, expressed his unease: “If they are locked in and can’t get out, I will feel more at ease. We don’t know what these people are capable of.”
He lamented the hotel’s transformation, saying: “The hotel used to be a nice friendly community hub, an amenity that was well-respected and useful for those needing an overnight stay who were coming here for business. It is a huge loss.”
Police Response
Essex Police Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow condemned the violence, stating: “What we have seen in Epping over the last week is not protest, it’s hooliganism and the people responsible for it can expect to be held accountable.
Ten people have been charged in relation to the Epping riots, including a 17-year-old, with two charged with violent disorder.
Government Action
The Prime Minister’s spokesman confirmed there are now “just over 200 migrant hotels, down from 400 under the Conservatives”, though failed to address whether recent protests would accelerate closure plans.
As MPs prepare for summer recess, Labour members have expressed fears of a repeat of last year’s violence, when racist protests triggered by misinformation about the Southport murders spread across multiple towns and cities.
The government has announced a £1.5 billion plan to invest in 75 deprived areas over the next decade as part of efforts to improve social cohesion, though no specific timetable has been set.
The Home Office said it was “discussing the issue with the council and Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley” regarding the Diss hotel situation.
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