A councillor who was reported to the police by a fellow Labour councillor for saying local residents should have the same access to support as Afghans has revealed he has been inundated with “heartbreaking” messages from locals.
Bracknell Forest Council backed a Lib Dem motion to support Afghan nationals who served alongside British troops, as part of the Government’s Afghan Resettlement Programme – offering relocation to 300 nationals who are considered “vulnerable” or “in danger from the Taliban”.
Edwards supported the plan in principle, but made clear that Bracknell residents and UK veterans should get the “same support, not less” – which was reported to police by a fellow Labour councillor.
Discussing the incident on GB News, Councillor John Edwards said he has been “inundated with heartbreaking messages” from locals struggling with inadequate housing and support.
Edwards detailed the support package provided to Afghan refugees in Bracknell: “They’ve been given a four-star hotel, all their food catered for, all their bills obviously paid for.”
He added: “They get private-delivered healthcare – it’s not Bupa, but it’s outside the NHS, and avoids waiting times, and there’s wraparound care and move on support. I thought, this surely isn’t the type of support of Bracknell residents and veterans get?”
This prompted Edwards to seek out stories from local residents struggling with housing and support issues, and found several residents living with mould – with some being hospitalised because of it.
Edwards revealed: “I put out a post for people on the housing waiting list or waiting for support, and found single mothers in one bed flats with four kids where the mould is so bad it put their kids in hospital. She feels like she’s failed.
“A veteran, he’s got two young kids in a single bed flat with mould so bad that his kids have been hospital with respiratory conditions.
“He served in Afghanistan. He said, I know what these guys did, I want them to be safe. I want us to help, but where’s my help?”
These testimonies formed the basis of Edwards’ call for equal treatment between refugees and local residents.
The councillor made clear his intention was to bring “transparency” to what he described as an “unfair” scheme.
“This isn’t about being divisive. The people who have arrived need to be treated with respect and dignity,” he stated.
However, he accused Bracknell Forest Council of “whitewashing” information about the refugee support scheme.
Discussing the reports made by the Labour Councillor, Edwards claimed that he “simply wanted parity” for Bracknell residents.
He told GB News: “I haven’t just been reported to the police by a resident, I’ve been reported to the police by Labour councillor at Bracknell Forest for bringing transparency to this. I wanted parity for Bracknell residents and veterans and I wanted transparency.
“It should have been totally uncontroversial, but I’ve been reported to the police. I’ve had complaints put into me.”
Despite his efforts, Edwards revealed that the Liberal Democrats had put forward a motion to welcome the Afghans.
“I put in an amendment which said that we also recognise that Bracknell residents should be at the same level of support, and veterans as well, and they voted that down,” he concluded.
GB News contacted Sandhurst Town Council for comment and they declined.