Council leader Dan Swords defiant: “The facts are absolutely clear – the Government is seeking to place 204 asylum seekers in Harlow and the action we have taken has stopped that plan”
News / Wed 8th Oct 2025 at 10:16am
THE LEADER of Harlow Council has issued a defiant statement regarding his actions over Redstone House.
YH went to the civic offices in The Water Gardens to speak to council leader Dan Swords about the the controversy.
Cllr Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said:“The facts are absolutely clear – the Government is seeking to place 204 asylum seekers in Harlow and the action we have taken has stopped that plan. Not because the Government has withdrawn it, but because the building owners have declined it.
“It is as simple as that and whilst I recognise why many people now wish to suggest that was not true – it was, and the facts could not be clearer.
“So I will set the record straight:
“Harlow Council received communication from representatives of the Home Office, specifically Ready Homes, a Clearsprings Group company recently highlighted by the BBC for its work on behalf of the Home Office.
“The communication consisted of an e-mail detailing that accommodation at Endeavour House (formerly Redstone House) was already being procured for use as asylum accommodation, with an expected occupation date of 17 November.
“Appended to the email was a form for the council, as well as the Police and Fire services to fill in. Despite the ‘consultation’, the occupation date had already been set making clear this was not a consultation.
“The form outlined that the Government’s ‘Bedspaces Demand Plan Figures’ for Harlow was ‘204’. This means that the Government are seeking bed spaces for 204 asylum seekers in Harlow including in Endeavour House (formerly Redstone House).
“If the Government were only seeking one flat – they would not have contacted the council – that is their standard practice across the country. They contacted the council to outline their plan to house 204 asylum seekers in Harlow.
“Furthermore, if they were just seeking one flat – why would they procure a near empty building with dozens of flats available that has rental prices nearly double that of other flats available in Harlow? Why would they not have just rented a flat elsewhere in Harlow at half the price?
“They didn’t – and those chose Endeavour House – because they are seeking 204 beds, not one flat. We have now stopped that which is why many are now trying to backtrack and suggest only one flat was being looked at – this is untrue.
“The council’s communications and actions demonstrate a robust response, and the subsequent abandonment of this plan confirms that this was the right course of action to protect the community. If we had not taken the action we did, the Government would be pressing ahead with that plan to house 204 asylum seekers in Harlow.
“If this had gone ahead it would’ve been a disaster for Harlow. It would’ve undermined years of hard work, investment, and planning to bring our town centre back to life. We have fought to secure hundreds of millions of pounds to transform Harlow – to build new homes, new shops, new public spaces, and create a town centre that people want to live, work, and spend time in.
“Turning Redstone House into asylum accommodation would undo all of that progress. It shows a staggering disregard for the people of Harlow and the future of our town.
“We believe in Harlow homes for Harlow people. We believe in standing up for our town.
“This remains absolutely the case.
“While some have suggested that such swift action could negatively impact community cohesion, this view fails to grasp the seriousness of the issue.
“As seen in recent events in Epping, it is essential to prevent such scenarios before they occur, rather than relying on hindsight to justify inaction.
“As announced yesterday, the proposal to use Endeavour House has now been withdrawn. I am proud that we stood up for Harlow and ensured this plan was rejected and to those that suggest we should’ve taken any other action I simply say, you would’ve been allowing the Government to place 204 asylum seekers in Harlow.
“Harlow Council remains vigilant and ready to respond robustly to any future proposals that could undermine the town’s regeneration and progress, as we continue to focus on Building Harlow’s Future.”
Click below for all the stories relating to Redstone (Endeavour) House.
https://www.yourharlow.com/category/politics
Mack
2025-10-08 10:32:13
Publish the email and see if it backs up your claims, simple, otherwise it sounds like mistruths…
Jamie
2025-10-08 10:32:59
This does clarify things. Dan Swords explicitly said that the Home Office intended to house 204 people *at Endeavour House*. In this interview, he's walked that back to "in Harlow including in Endeavour House". So he did mislead people.
Court
2025-10-08 10:49:19
So we still have not seen the letter from the Home Office. He (DS) did state that the 204 beds were at Endeavour House, or he certainly led everyone to think that. He's now backtracking and stating 204 beds in Harlow. The devil is in the detail and it does now appear that he riled up Harlow residents to believe there were going to be 204 people "dumped" his words, not mine, at this location in the heart of the town centre!
Tim
2025-10-08 10:55:08
Are you actually going to ask the Home Office, or just take the word of a councillor who has provided zero proof of any of his statements that keep changing??! You might as well change the name of the paper to YourHarlowCouncil since you keep acting as it's publicist
jarrett
2025-10-08 11:00:57
Coming to a HMO near you.
Nancy
2025-10-08 11:34:26
God, I thought the Labour bloke was a bit hysterical with his 'dumping' rhetoric, but you Mr Swords take the biscuit. I once had a secretary like you who would get all shouty when she was telling lies - Then when she couldn't disentangle herself from her tissue of lies and was totally exposed, she'd cry! - Are you going to cry Mr Swords or carry on this tantrum for a while longer?
John Cobbold
2025-10-08 12:02:40
Tim, YH did ask the Home Office, and they said "that their provider has “consulted on one of the flats in the building for asylum use, which only has a bed capacity of three."" https://www.yourharlow.com/2025/10/07/home-office-and-endeavour-house-formerly-redstone/ ... they state "in the building" so maybe more elsewhere in Harlow? Therefore, Harlow Council just need to make the letter public, then we can see for ourselves and make our own minds up. Why are they dragging it out when they could publish the letter and end all this?
AB
2025-10-08 12:22:06
Suprise, suprise; no actual evidence despite the reviews 'promises' from Demolition Dan.
anita
2025-10-08 12:32:10
dan swords never actually said all of the asylum seekers would actually have been aaplaced into endevour house he clearly explained that government were seeking 204 asylum seekers placements for harlow and placing asylum seeker fight in middle of the town center into a building that had recentley been deemed by the fire service as unsafe with current residents still not satisfied as to current state dan swords did not in any way whipp up community or political tensions lots of people online in their varied responses were the ones actually writing of munbers of asylum seekers ie 204 being unsuitible for placing into an impossible small amount of flats etc so facts first dan swords has not lied or misled anyone just go read carefully through his statements LISTEN to WHAT the man ACTUALLY said during his videos speeches befor misquoting him WELL DONE DAN SWORDS
anita
2025-10-08 12:35:40
apology if i mistyped and spelled fight in middle of town center i meant to type right in middle of town center
Jamie
2025-10-08 12:43:43
Anita, you are incorrect. He did explicitly say that 204 were doing to be placed into Endeavour House: "The proposal was clear that they were seeking 204 beds for this site – not 3 as some are suggesting."
Alex
2025-10-08 13:02:04
Anita you need to read his statement again. Take off your rose tinted glasses next time.
Tim Page
2025-10-08 13:47:09
SO here’s the thing, not sure if anyone has brazenly ‘lied’! Below tried to capture some extracts from YH story thread: Your Harlow - has spoken to the Home Office regarding the possible lease of Endeavour House (formerly Redstone House) in Harlow Town centre. They have informed us that their provider has “consulted on one of the flats in the building for asylum use, which only has a bed capacity of three. Dan Swords - This is complete nonsense. The letter we received states that they are seeking 204 beds. Chris Vince - I want to be absolutely clear about what has happened. The Council were approached with an initial consultation to use only one flat. Dan Swords - The communication consisted of an e-mail detailing that accommodation at Endeavour House (formerly Redstone House) was already being procured for use as asylum accommodation, with an expected occupation date of 17 November. Dan Swords - “The form outlined that the Government’s ‘Bedspaces Demand Plan Figures’ for Harlow was ‘204’. This means that the Government are seeking bed spaces for 204 asylum seekers in Harlow including in Endeavour House (formerly Redstone House). Lots of conspiracy theories out there but seems there are elements of being economical with the truth and actual truths from all sides. But without political bias or view on asylum seekers (legal or not) on this political ‘hot potato’, fundamentally, would it be fair to say that if Harlow Council had not responded robustly, then the door was ajar for the ‘other’ 201 asylum seekers to go into either Endeavour House (if it is mostly empty) until full and then other dwellings around the town. where sadly we would probably then enter The Bell Hotel, Epping territory. Just saying…
Seamus
2025-10-08 14:56:17
Was the home office's agent trying to dump 204 illegal economic migrants in Harlow? That is a yes. It doesn't matter if it's in one block or more. If that has now been nipped in the bud, I'm okay with that as putting them in Harlow would make the Bell hotel protests look like amateur hour.
anita
2025-10-08 16:00:29
thanks for your info folks regards dan swords explicitly say 204 asylum seekers would be placed into endeavour house i have again read and listened to dan swords initial speech on your harlow 6th october regards the number of 204 asylum seekers i cannot see nor did i hear him mention 204 people being accommodated into this building this is the page of 6th october i had been speaking of then as i said after harlow residents began chatting online in various comments sections and requesting more detailed info etc dan issued another statement in which i did read dan had said this means that the government seeking bed spaces for 204 asylum seekers in harlow including in endeavour house as for rose tinted glasses i do not wear any form of spectacles... thanks once again for your comments i can see where lots of people have became confused i am certainly not one of them neither are dan sworda many other supporters!!!!
Graham Goodson
2025-10-08 16:37:38
I've followed this story from it's original post by Councillor Dan Swords. After listening to comments from various followers putting down Councillor Dan Swords and our MP Chris Vince and turning this into a bit of a witch hunt and a Red v Blue argument. I decided to listen to the original post on the 6th October by Councillor Swords. Not once does he say that Redstone will house 204 Asylum seekers, he does say that it is proposed to use Redstone house but number of Asylum seekers in that building was not mentioned. Weather it was Councillor Swords or Mp Chris Vince that has prevented this from happening, hopefully it has stopped. One thing that is clear is that Councillor Sword attacked this with passion and drive. MP Chris Vin e has also made it clear that he also does not want this. I would like to think that both Dan & Chris did sit round a table and worked together to approach this is a way resulting in the result all of us in Harlow all want.
Alan
2025-10-08 16:39:25
Appended to the email was a form for the council, as well as the Police and Fire services to fill in. Despite the ‘consultation’, the occupation date had already been set making clear this was not a consultation." This statement doesn't add up. Are seriously expected to believe that this was happening regardless of what the Police or Fire say? So if Fire said the building wasn't safe the government would still put people in the building? No of course they wouldn't. This date is probably when it's planned to start if everything goes ahead not a this is happening then as the leader of the council is claiming.
Anonymous
2025-10-08 16:51:00
Complete lies as seen fire service sorting out the safty over the weeks and there must be a cert in place. Council lies they will be there as get government back hander, funny not safe boot the locals out then boom. Locals be carefull now
anita
2025-10-08 16:53:56
well said Graham Goodson this is exactly the facts i also pointed out in defence of dan swords so glad somebody else takes the actual time to properly study the statements dan swords made and listen properly to his video messages i have not long finished watching dan effectively and professionaly answer a reporter questioning him very well done thank you so very much dan swords for doing what a leader ought to be doing for their residents putting them first i trust jamie and alex who claimed i was incorrect will read Grahams reply which totally says as i did it proves i was not wrong but totally correct
Jamie
2025-10-08 16:57:20
Graham - he did not say this in the original statement but has has consistently said that 204 were specifically at Redstone House since. Here is one example where he said specifically the the Redstone Site, and he's said similar multiple times on Facebook: https://www.yourharlow.com/2025/10/07/harlow-council-leader-confirms-they-have-managed-to-stop-proposal-to-house-asylum-seekers-in-redstone-house/
Scotth
2025-10-08 17:43:14
Yesterday Cllr Swords undertook to release all documentation. To this point he has not. He fulminated that the housing of AS in Endeavour Hse would be the upending of investment and hard work yet we are told only 3 would be moved in by other sources. Cllr Swords opted not to ‘burden’ us with that fact preferring to foster the impression many would go in there. In fact 201 would go elsewhere. This is only scratching the surface. The leader of the council has serious questions to answer on this having potentially misled the public on an issue that is already highly sensitive.
Frank
2025-10-08 19:42:38
Walking around the town centre it appears to me there are already well over 204 asylum seekers already living in Harlow
Alan
2025-10-08 20:19:56
Graham, he posted this on the council Facebook page yesterday "The proposal was clear that they were seeking 204 beds for this site – not 3 as some are suggesting."
AB
2025-10-08 20:34:46
All this ducking and diving, Demolition Dan has become Desperate Dan. It's clear this extends to what he declined to say and clarify about Town Centre developments etc.
James Gamble
2025-10-09 08:41:00
The usual nasty Tory party spreading lies and hatred? Always remember it was a Tory Government that allowed hotels to be used for asylum seekers and it was a Tory Government that failed to process them. We waste more money on trying to resolve this issue than we do on housing and financing them. Why do we not open an asylum assessment office in France and insist on asylum seekers be assessed there? We could finger print all applicants, that way we would know who had a legal right to be here. This would automatically deem small boat entries unlawful.
Dave
2025-10-09 12:12:00
Anita, you are an excellent sheep. Your political masters will be proud.
David Forman
2025-10-10 23:57:41
Good points from James Gamble.
Anita
2025-10-11 16:44:30
And who, may I ask, are my "political masters" Dave??....
amanda lillis
2025-10-23 22:14:08
Why are other countries blocking asylum seekers and why do they go through Europe to her here How many do we take before we get like greece and push back
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