Far-right activists are “not welcome” in the campaign against plans to open a centre for asylum seekers in a North Yorkshire village according to the local MP.
The Home Office intends to house up to 1,500 men at a former RAF station at Linton-on-Ouse, near York.
Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, said activists opposing all immigration who had attended meetings in the village “should stay away”.
Residents’ concerns were over the suitability of the location not the men being in the UK.
The plans for the asylum centre at the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse site have been heavily criticised.
Campaigners have highlighted worries over the possible impact on the local area, lack of facilities and what they said was a lack of consultation over the proposals.
Hollinrake said far-right activists had attended meetings held in the village about the intended centre for asylum seekers.
“We’ve seen a number of interventions by these far-right groups. They are not welcome in Linton-on-Ouse and they should stay away,” he said.
“This is about the scale of the problem. I think the far-right activists don’t want to see asylum seekers in the UK at all and I don’t support that view.”
The Conservative MP said local residents were instead concerned about housing a large number of men in a small rural community, not about immigration.
The first asylum seekers, about 60 men, had previously been expected to arrive at Linton-on-Ouse by the end of the month.
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