Harlow Labour slam council leader Dan Swords over “meeting” with members of “far-right” Facebook group over asylum seekers
News / Fri 24th Oct 2025 at 09:05am
THERE were controversial scenes at the end of a Harlow Council meeting after Labour questioned whether the leader, Dan Swords had a meeting with a Facebook group whose members include followers of far-right organisations.
The alleged meeting was related to Endeavour House (formerly Redstone) and possibly replacement of asylum seekers there.
This question was followed by a failed attempt to have a vote-of-no-confidence in the leader.
Councillor Mark Ingall to Councillor Dan Swords (Leader of the Council):
I have evidence that “Harlow says No?” uses anti-Muslim imagery on its social media site, describes migrants as “illegals”, encourages its followers to “armour up” and proclaims “it’s not migration, it’s not asylum seeking, it’s an invasion”.
Did Cllr Swords communicate and subsequently meet with members of that group?
Reply from Councillor Dan Swords (Leader of the Council):
I receive correspondence and answer questions from hundreds of residents with completely opposing views each week in my role as Leader of the Council regardless of my views and beliefs.
It is right and proper for me to answer such questions about the council’s activities and that is true of this case too”.
The full exchange and the attempted vote of no confidence can be seen below. There were a number of other questions asked on this subject, which we will put on site later.
New Town Dreaming
2025-10-24 10:12:19
He may receive correspondence from hundreds of residents but he doesn’t reply to them all, let alone meet with them. This was convenient to his agenda to whip up hate and division in Harlow through his lies and inflammatory comments about people seeking asylum here. Especially surprised and disappointed in Councillor Joel Charles’ response. I thought he was better than that.
James
2025-10-24 11:18:19
Yep. Corresponding with groups is one thing but agreeing to meet is quite another. One of the admins of the Facebook group has previously been convicted in relation to heroin dealing. Another was charged for his role in a riot in Bishopsfield. Members of the group are also members of The Homeland Party - a Neo-Nazi party. It shows poor judgement to be meeting these people.
Val
2025-10-24 12:17:56
More pathetic pseudo theatricals from Labour councillors, for which they clearly have no talent. Cllr Ingal is more concerned with semantics. Anyone not in agreement with his narrow viewpoints and platitudes is 'anti Muslim', 'Far right', etc. Does he not realise these labels have become meaningless through their bland labelling? Also, Cllr Ingall, we still have free speech in Britain. He prances around like a bloated buffoon with his silly pictures and has no decorum whatsoever. Yes, Cllr Ingall, they are 'illegals'. They entered the country by illegal means and without documentation. They are not asylum seekers as they would have claimed asylum in the first safe country. They are freeloaders seeking to fleece honest British taxpayers. Interesting that Cllr Ingall made no mention of Labour's Manifesto pledge to 'Smash the Gangs' (that is going reallly well isn't, Cllr Ingall?). He and his far left friends are happy to see illegals dumped on our town. Can he not see that by accommodating these people, we become accomplices to the crime and only serve to incentivate the gangs? No doubt the forthcoming Budget will have tax hikes to cover the rising migrant costs among other wasteful expenditure. As for Cllr Mullard-Tool, he is just a rude and obnoxious person with no respect for the protocol of Council meetings. He loves the sound of his own voice. I suspect he might well be in a minority of one in that regard. The final motion proposed by Cllr Griggs was a truly feeble gesture. Again Labour show no understanding of the Council Constitution and processes as the Chair pointed out. It was pure grandstanding by a very weak and woke Labour leader, even more so given that such that even he must have been aware that such a motion would have been soundly defeated. Harlow Labour as with Labour nationally is in meltdown. The good news is that many of these councillors will be swept away in next May's local election. It can't happen soon enough.
Seamus
2025-10-24 13:01:07
Interesting that you don't compare the government trying to force illegal economic migrants into a town such as Harlow as "inflammatory".You could argue again that by trying to place them here, the government was seeking to, as you put it, "whip up hate and division" That mindset doesn't even see what you are suggesting. "He may receive correspondence from hundreds of residents but he doesn’t reply to them all, let alone meet with them" What you seem to be suggesting is a two tier system where the leader of the council should only entertain lefties and call anyone not lefties, far right and they should be banned or ignored. It still amazes me to this day at just how many on the left don't see their own biggotry, racism and double standards they operate against others.
James
2025-10-24 14:27:03
Seamus - you say it's a double standard, but if a Labour Councillor met a far-left Facebook group where one of its admins was a drug dealer, another had been charged with rioting, and had Neo-Stalinst members, I'd be bloody annoyed by that, too.
Maureen
2025-10-24 14:53:28
As Seamus, the bigotry, intolerance and hypocrisy of the Left is astounding. They must be really frustrated as their popularity collapses across the country as evidenced weekly in local government by-elections, just see yesterday's result in Caerphilly ( where they were in control for over 100 years and crashed to a poor third place. Clearly Harlow Labour does not reflect the views or interests of the vast majority of Harlow residents. They are completely out of touch and heading towards oblivion next May.
Darren
2025-10-24 15:15:54
Val hit the nail on the head !! Whatever label the loony left wants to use, these migrants did come here illegally. They come because the UK is an easy target that gives them money etc. Stop putting them in hotels and revert back to using detention centres, until properly processed and granted asylum. We know nothing of their true reasons for coming to the UK. They could be fleeing criminal justice for all we know and state they are fleeing from persecution. Why do they not claim asylum in the first country they arrive in. That's my rant over :s
Matthew Durham
2025-10-24 15:21:51
Thank you Your Harlow for the right of reply. Everything I personally post regarding islam I can prove from the quran hadiths and tafsir's. As for being "far right" how exactly am I going to explain that to my half Indian son his mother? Regarding my past I am not proud of it but I admitted my guilt at the earliest opportunity and accepted my punishment. I have been open and transparent regarding my past because I knew that there is no level to which socialists will try and use such things against you. As for this idiot councillor all he has achieved is making himself look stupid regarding his wild claims that I am far right and equally stupid for telling everyone what they already knew about my past 🙏🏻
Harlow Labour Scare Me
2025-10-24 15:39:27
Never let Harlow Labour back into power. They will cause untold amount of damage like before. Their biggest achievement was to put table tennis tables out for the drunks. Dan Swords is the best leader we have had for over 20 year +
Sharon
2025-10-24 19:15:00
Dad Swords is the best tbing to happen to Harlow council. He always does what he says he will. He attends as many events as he possibly can im very impressed with him he has my vote 100%.
Mr George
2025-10-24 20:28:05
So much hate and pathetic bickering in these comments, nobody anymore is willing to listen to each other and really sort out problems, or hold people in power responsible for their bad actions.
Maureen
2025-10-24 21:58:53
Compare Dan Swords v James Griggs (Lab) and Chris Vince(Lab) is like comparing Barcelona v Accrington Stanley FC (no disrespect to Accrington). Labour are so inept and so out of their league they have become a total farce. ... a dangerous and expensive farce. Two of their major manifesto pledges are about to be dishonoured: 1) Smash the Gangs - total joke. 2) No increases to Income Tax, NI, VAT - 'putting money in the pockets of working people' ! With benefactors like these, who needs thieves and fraudsters! Woke and charlatan, a fatal combination. This Government must go ASAP otherwise we as a nation are doomed.
Peter Lamb
2025-10-24 23:06:55
Never forget the time Harlow Labour Councillors stood with banners proclaiming "Refugees Welcome" Labour will do whatever it takes to not upset their core voters
Ted
2025-10-25 06:55:20
Well said Val , totally back everything you posted . Mr George , if you dont like what you read in these posts, then I suggest you don't read them.
Moss Ali
2025-10-25 10:17:38
@Matthew Durham, everything you think you know about Islam I am more than happy to engage you on it. Your Harlow, please pass my email to Matthew
Moss Ali
2025-10-25 11:09:00
The Council Leader meeting racist and fascist far right members is utterly disgraceful. What if he met extremists or genocide advocates, would that be ok? The far right should not be given the time of the day.
David Forman
2025-10-25 12:28:14
Britain is a signatory to the Refugee Convention. Under this no one is required to seek asylum in the first safe country. No asylum seeker is illegal for entering by irregular means, for example by small boat, especially when Britain has made using a legal and safe route impossible for all but a few exceptions. Amnesty International explain: "The Convention requires all countries to share in the responsibility of providing asylum to refugees - not just countries that border conflict or repressive regimes. And it does not, therefore, require refugees to seek asylum in any particular country - whether or not that country is labelled a ‘first’ or ‘first safe’ country. But it does prohibit penalising refugees for crossing borders without prior permission merely to seek asylum." See Amnesty's article https://www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/truth-about-safe-and-legal-routes
Seamus
2025-10-25 12:33:36
Moss, according to one religion, anyone who questions it is seen as racist and far right. That standard is the typical retort of anger and desperation to shut others down because it is a faith and not a race, but you already knew that. You question why would the council leader would meet people you don't like but you would be outraged, if he DIDNT meet with people who openly are intolerant of those from the rainbow coalition and intolerant of women and young girls equal rights. So you see my friend, what you are actually saying is the leader of the council should only see people YOU agree with, rather than as he does now in seeing and talking to all Harlow residents.
David Forman
2025-10-25 12:38:53
To summarize, we have people who say that foreigners should respect our laws. This country has signed up to a United Nations Convention under the U.N. Charter, which is an instrument of international law. The people arriving by small boats and seeking asylum have not broken the U.N. Refugee Convention. Therefore, those Brits who seek to penalize the rubber boat people are the law breakers. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-relating-status-refugees
Carolyn
2025-10-25 21:16:27
After the debacle with the convicted Ethiopian child molester and illegal migrant Kebatu, shouldn't our ever faithful councillors/clowns Ingall and Griggs be calling for the resignation of Incompetent Home Secretary Lammy. Dan Swords is doing a far better job! Labour is beyond a joke it is now a disgrace. They must call a General Election. They failing across the spectrum.
Ted
2025-10-26 06:55:43
David Foreman. Why don't you take in a boat person , feed them and give them spending money. You seem quite happy for the government to do it.
Leave a Comment Below:
21 Comments for Harlow Labour slam council leader Dan Swords over “meeting” with members of “far-right” Facebook group over asylum seekers: