The leader of a Reform UK-run council has hit out at Labour plans to move migrants into a former military barracks in a small village. In an eight-word pledge, Councillor Michael Hadwen, the leader of Suffolk County Council, said he will “fight this proposal every step of the way”.

The Home Office on Thursday announced it is seeking planning permission to house migrants at the former RAF base in Burnham as part of efforts to close down more asylum hotels. Cllr Hadwen wrote on X: “1250 illegal migrants. One small Suffolk village. One rural primary school. The Government plans to turn RAF Barnham into a permanent migrant accommodation site, with residents free to come and go.”

He added: “As Leader of Suffolk County Council, I will fight this proposal every step of the way. Suffolk’s communities come first.”

In a statement released by the council, he also said: “I categorically object to the use of RAF Barnham to house illegal migrants.

“Following my urgent briefing with the Home Office, nothing they said lessened my enormous concerns about the impact of 1250 men moving into such a small village with a small rural primary school.

“The site will be open for people to come and go as they please and is being promoted by Government as a long term or even permanent part of the Home Office’s illegal migrant accommodation plans. This is entirely unacceptable.”

Cllr Hadwen also claimed the council or local communities received “no prior warning or consultation” about the plans, only finding out “shortly” before the media.

“This doesn’t show Suffolk the respect it deserves and we demand,“ he said.

The council leader said the authority will be supporting the local community to demonstrate “why this is the wrong place for mass illegal migrant accommodation”. He added: “We’re going to continue making this case to the Home Office until it abandons the idea altogether.”

Some locals in Barnham told the Eastern Daily Press they have “no concerns” over the plans for the former barracks to house migrants.

One said: "I have no objection to it. Anyone who comes here seeking support, it should be the British way to help them.

"No concern whatsoever. I feel sorry for the refugees because it's a bit out the way and the gates are right on a busy road."

Labour MP Terry Jermy said he was “very concerned” by the plans to accommodate asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, which is just outside his South West Norfolk constituency.

The Home Office is also looking to gain planning permission for Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire.

Along with the ex-RAF base in Suffolk, the sites are expected to accommodate 3,750 migrants.

Residents in Linton-on-Ouse have already vowed to fight the plans.

The Government is also looking to expand the use of existing disused MoD sites in Crowborough, East Sussex, until 2030 and Wethersfield, Essex, beyond 2027.

Labour pledged to stop using asylum hotels by the next election.

The number of asylum seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels has fallen to its lowest level since data was first reported in 2022, according to Home Office figures published last month.