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The asylum accommodation in Essex will increase capacity by 55 per cent and be operational for another three years
A Braintree resident has expressed her outrage at the Government's decision to extend the use of the Wethersfield asylum accommodation, declaring locals have been "lied to".
Speaking to GB News, Michelle Lee argued that Britain is becoming a "third-world cesspit" and urged the Government to deport illegal migrants rather than house them in communities.
The Government has confirmed that the use of the Wethersfield asylum accommodation has been extended until 2029 and will increase its capacity from 800 to 1,245 residents.
The controversial former military base in Essex, originally set to close, will remain open past its previous April 2027 expiration timeline.
Speaking to GB News, Ms Lee claimed that residents have been "lied to" by both the Labour Government and their local MP, James Cleverly.
She said: "We knew it was coming, and we know we've been lied to. We've been lied to by our Conservative MP, James Cleverly, and we've been lied to by the Government.
"We're going to have 1,245 men running around our town now up until 2029. There is also an STO order (Supervision and Treatment Order), so that could go up to 1,700 men. Personally, I think the numbers are going to go up even more."
Asked for her verdict on the Home Office's new guidance for asylum seekers on "how not to rape women", Ms Lee said it is "disgusting".
She fumed: "There's women getting raped every hour in London, and now we've got to worry about men running around who believe that it's okay to have sex with children, to rape women, rape children.
"Also there's guidance on female genital mutilation, they're asking people not to mutilate children. It's disgusting.
"We shouldn't have people like this living in our society. We're meant to be one of these most amazing countries, but we're becoming a third-world cesspit, in my opinion."
Questioned on what she would like to see the Government do to tackle the migrant crisis, the Braintree resident said that Labour must "deport illegal migrants" instead of allowing them to live in our communities.
She said: "The Government should be containing them within the bases and they should be deporting them. We don't need men here who are going to rape and harm children and women, we need them gone.
"What we need is skilled workers, we need actual people coming to our country that are going to bring something here, not commit crimes.
"Everywhere we see things coming up in the press. When these men commit these crimes, they're rewarded, they don't even get harsh prison sentences. Nothing is happening to change what is going on here."
Leader of Braintree District Council Tom Cunningham said in a statement: "We are bitterly disappointed that, after more than three years of having the UK's largest asylum accommodation centre imposed on this district, it appears it will now stay for an indeterminate amount of time.
"To compound this, the site will go from a standard capacity of 800 to 1,245, placing sustained strain on the community.
"Since March 2023, when the Home Office first told us of their plans, we have been clear that this disused airbase, in a very rural area, does not have the infrastructure to support a site of this scale."
The Home Office has previously said of using former military sites to house asylum seekers: "We're closing every asylum hotel and moving asylum seekers into basic accommodation, including ex-military sites.
"The plan to move migrants to military sites is fairer because it takes the burden off poorer communities where many asylum seekers are currently housed in hotels."
