‘URGENT INVESTIGATION’ NEEDED INTO BLACKPOOL HOTEL AT CENTRE OF ASYLUM PORN SCANDAL SAYS MP

THE MP for Blackpool South has called for an investigation into the hotel at the centre of a migrant porn scandal and said the town is ‘too deprived’ to take asylum seekers.

Speaking to GB News, Chris Webb said: “The reason I’m alive is because of that hotel. My mum moved to Blackpool in the 80s to become a red coat there, and she moved to Blackpool, she met my dad, and here I am today.

“Back in 2021 when the then Conservative government put the asylum seekers in the Metropole hotel myself, the council and many others voiced our objection to it. It was the wrong place. Blackpool was already seen huge deprivation under the Tories because of austerity.

“Whilst we will always take our fair share of those fleeing war and persecution, I believed it wasn’t the town to support these sorts of people with the complex needs that they have.

“Residents across Blackpool felt they were being forgotten about under the previous government. Since I’ve become the MP, I’ve voiced their concerns countless times and I’ve just done so in the chamber, asking urgent questions about the recent reports we’ve had over the weekend.

“It’s been alleged that we’ve had an incident where two of those individuals staying in the hotel last year were caught allegedly making Only Fans videos. Now this is only allegedly. This wasn’t reported to the Home Office at the time, I’m told.

“We’ve now got to have an urgent investigation into this. I’ve called for that, I’ve written to the minister, I’ve raised it in the Commons today, and I’ve been reassured that this will be urgently investigated, which is the right thing to do.

“We’ve got safety concerns, we’ve got safeguarding issues. How did they get this equipment? Were they being put up to it? But also people are here to get safe haven. They are claiming asylum. They’re going through the process. We don’t expect those individuals to be filming pornographic videos in our hotel.

“I’ve had a number of constituents get in touch with me about these headlines. It’s my job to investigate, to get to the truth and to make sure my residents know exactly what’s going on in their town.

“We inherited, you know, the borders were a mess. We lost control under the Conservatives. We’ve been cleaning up that mess.

“They were wasting millions a day in asylum hotels, not actually doing the hard work of processing them. That’s what we’re doing. It’s tough. We’re not going to solve this problem overnight, but we’re getting on with the hard job of processing those, making deals with our European partners to ensure we’ve got a deterrent that sends them back when they come to our shores illegally.

“I’ve raised these concerns with the Home Office again because of my constituents and concerns that I have as a resident. I’ve been told no other hotels will be used for asylum seekers, and I’ve been given assurances that no more increases in the housing will be used by Serco in Blackpool. That may change in the future.

“We inherited a huge backlog, we’re not getting away from that. We’ve got to get on with the hard job of processing them as quickly as possible, getting as many of those appeals in the courts as quickly as possible, so that we can process them so if they have no right to remain, they’re returned home.

“If they do, they go into society, they get their own accommodation, work, pay taxes, and blend into our society in towns and cities across this country.

“In Blackpool, we’ve committed to a police officer and PCSO in every ward and that’s what I pledged to do as Member of Parliament. We delivered that last week. 13,000 new neighbourhood police guaranteed by the end of this Parliament fully costed.

“These pie in the sky policies Reform are saying – it’s easy for them, they’re in opposition. We’re getting on with the job of being in government and tackling crime and putting more police on the beat.

“[Reform’s] are not serious policies.

“I got in a few weeks before [the general election] and it’s been an adjustment with family, at home, with the job, but I’ve relished it. I’ve really made a big difference for my town, getting millions and millions of pounds, record funding into mine.

“We’ve got a job to do but things will take time. It’s only been a year to undo 14 years of austerity and it will take us a bit longer than any of us want. We’re all desperate for change. We’re desperate to make a difference in our towns.

“We’re getting on with it, but all we’re asking for the country is to bear with us whilst we turn the country around.

“Only a Labour Government will deliver change. It’s about coming together as a Labour government for this country, delivering what we promised on that manifesto. I’ve had my issues on winter fuel and on the second reading, I voted against the welfare cut.

“But we’re now delivering. We need to come together, because the alternative is the Tories in chaos and Reform offering anything they want because they’re not backing it up.

“[The Metropole] will be empty by 2029, if not before.”