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Refugee sanctuary plan is 'grandstanding', says MP

Stewart CarrLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Getty Images A large crowd gathered on the steps outside a building with tall stone columns. In the foreground, a person holds up a hand-painted sign reading “REFUGEES WELCOME” in green and black letters. Many people in the crowd are holding phones, while others are seated or standing closely together. Some attendees wear face masks. Getty Images
Hertfordshire could become a so-called county of sanctuary

An MP has described a council's plan to create a county of sanctuary for refugees as a "grandstanding gesture".

Lewis Cocking, the Conservative member for Broxbourne, accused the Liberal Democrat-led Hertfordshire County Council of putting forward an "out-of-touch, ideological initiative".

Signing up to the scheme would make the council part of a network of organisations offering a supportive culture for refugees and asylum seekers.

The leader of the authority said no decision has been made yet but he could not see why the county would not want to welcome refugees.

Amy Holmes/BBC Lewis Cocking with short dark hair in a white shirt sits in a blue armchair in an office setting. Large Union Jack and French flags stand behind the chair, and a framed map is visible on the wall to the side. Cocking is seated with hands clasped and legs crossed, facing the camera.Amy Holmes/BBC
Lewis Cocking MP said preferential treatment for asylum seekers was "frankly disgraceful"

In a heated letter to the leader of the council, Cocking said: "At my local surgeries, I regularly speak to constituents who are struggling with housing, can't get their kids into their local school or get GP appointments, and are paying massive sums for basic dental treatment.

"It is frankly disgraceful that illegal asylum seekers are given preferential treatment to access all of these services."

He added that the council should not be spending time and resources on "out-of-touch, ideological initiatives like the county of sanctuary status".

He said anyone who entered the country illegally should be deported immediately.

Simon Dedman/BBC Steve Jarvis with short grey hair and glasses stands in the foreground of a busy indoor hall, wearing a dark blazer over a light blue shirt. Behind Jarvis, rows of tables are occupied by people taking part in a count, with others standing and talking around the room. The venue has brown brick walls, a sports hall floor with court markings, and overhead lighting. A sign reading “HITCHIN SOUTH” is visible in the background, along with several purple display boards.Simon Dedman/BBC
Council leader Steve Jarvis said no decision had been made yet on the sanctuary plan

The Liberal Democrat leader of the council, Steve Jarvis, said it was Cocking who was "grandstanding about a decision that has not been made".

He added: "I cannot see why Hertfordshire would not want to be a welcoming and inclusive places for people seeking sanctuary."

Peter Colley, a Restore Britain councillor, argued that the council "do not have the right to inflict this on the constituents of Hertfordshire without a county-wide referendum".

Martin Heath/BBC Head-and-shoulders portrait of Ajanta Hilton wearing a sleeveless purple top, standing indoors in front of a white-painted brick wall. A large wooden planter filled with green variegated plants sits behind her on the right, while a large window with black framing is visible on the left. The image is evenly lit with natural light and appears to have been taken in a modern office or courtyard setting.Martin Heath/BBC
Ajanta Hilton said the council should support the most vulnerable

A petition calling for a public vote has so far reached 1,736 signatures, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Colley also asked if anyone had "worked out how much it is going to cost the constituents of Hertfordshire".

Ajanta Hilton, who chairs the authority's community safety committee, responded: "It's not a question of money - a referendum would cost money as well.

"We're here to support the most vulnerable where it's needed."

No date has been set for a decision to be made on the sanctuary plan.

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