It is very disappointing that a so-called ‘family friendly no to illegals protest’ has been scheduled for a week on Sunday, which, unsurprisingly, has motivated a counter protest to be scheduled at the same time at the Sandpiper Hotel.

Over the last few months, I have reached out to all those residents in the area around the Sandpiper Hotel, to understand the extent to which the occupation of the hotel was causing local residents’ problems. I have also visited the hotel and met officials from the Home Office and Serco there.

I have met with people who support refugees, as well as those concerned about the hotel and am very willing to meet any other constituents who wish to discuss this important issue.

Of the 400 odd letters we sent out, we received 18 responses, of which half had got in touch to say that they had no issues with the hotel and another 9 who raised concerns. Of the concerns raised, only two were what I would consider at the more serious end, including one that was raised and investigated by Police. Respondents did particularly say that one of their biggest fears was the prospect of the hotel becoming a focal point for the kind of demonstrations that we are now likely to see on the 28th.

Whilst the organisers have said that they want a peaceful protest, they have also admitted that they can’t prevent people from bringing flares to the protest and as we have seen in other parts of the country, these protests and counter protests can turn sour very quickly. The organisers are also encouraging people to bring children with them, which also causes me concern.

As local residents are clear that they do not welcome these protests, one has to ask, for whose benefit are they being organised?

The march and protest comes a few days after the substantial ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march, led and addressed by convicted criminal and racist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (who now goes under the name Tommy Robinson). Whilst the march was attended by many people who were neither far-right or racist, it was a march led and addressed by far-right racists, which emboldens the far-right.

I know, locally, from the surveys that I have done over the summer, how big a concern small boat crossings are, and people are entitled to raise concerns about those things, as indeed I do.

It is already the policy of the government to end hotel usage for asylum seekers and I want the hotel returned to public use as soon as possible. There are already 43% fewer hotels being used for asylum seekers than during the September 2023 peak.

There have now been over 40,000 failed asylum seekers return, since the government came to power and a new partnership with France which will enable us to return people arriving on boats whilst prioritising those approved to come.

The march claims to be an opportunity to say ‘no to illegals’ but there are no illegal immigrants in the Sandpiper, they are asylum seekers, moved to Chesterfield, primarily by the previous government.

These protests are also likely to divert considerable Police time away from fighting crime and towards preventing disorder, which is likely to be frightening both for local residents, and staff and residents at the hotel.

I am hearing of people with no connection to Chesterfield, planning to visit our town on the 28^th to take part in protests and counter protests, turning a quiet community into a battleground, I would call on those people to stay away.

In summary, I call on the organisers of this protest to cancel it and instead reach out, and let’s discuss the issues they are concerned about, rather than inflict this misery on the people of Whittington and Unstone and stoke further division in our town.