Reform UK in Durham: dehumanising language, misleading claims — and what I’m doing about it
Hi all,
You may have seen reports about Reform UK’s recent press release claiming a "moratorium" on new asylum seeker accommodation in County Durham. It's packed with inflammatory rhetoric — calling Durham an "overflow car park" for asylum seekers and accusing the Home Office and Mears Group of "carpet-bombing" deprived communities. It’s dehumanising, scapegoating language designed to inflame, not inform.
I’m in the process of fact-checking their claims, including:
Whether Durham really is the only North East authority still accepting asylum accommodation
What powers councils actually have over asylum housing
What the data says about alleged anti-social behaviour
Whether there's any truth to the idea that other areas house "precisely zero" asylum seekers
I've submitted multiple FOI requests to Durham County Council, Durham Police, and the Home Office, and I've written to Mary Foy MP asking her to press the Home Office for clarity.
Once I’ve got responses, I’ll publish a proper breakdown — with sources — here on ReformWatch. For now, I wanted to reassure you that these claims are being challenged.
I’ll also be adding the full list of FOI requests and responses to the site in the next week, including DOIs where applicable.
For now, I just wanted to reassure readers: I’ve seen what’s been said, I’m appalled — and I’ve acted.
If you’d like to help, feel free to point people to ReformWatch when you see these narratives spreading — challenging them calmly and with facts goes a long way.
Thanks for being part of this — more soon,
Neil