‘You're giving us a bad name’, Ashfield residents tell their MP

Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Ashfield, said he has been attacked locally and nationally for his comments in immigration.

But he said: “I am not a bigot – I just speak up for Ashfield’s silent majority.”

Mr Anderson said: “I will not back down on this issue as so far, more than 40,000 economic migrants have crossed the Channel this year, with 12,000 of them being young men from Albania.

“You can take it from me that the young men arriving here from Albania are NOT fleeing a war-torn country and are not coming here to work in our NHS or other public services.

“They are more likely to disappear into the black economy or turn to criminal activities.

“I am not a racist or a bigot, I am a normal working-class bloke from Ashfield who now has the great honour to speak up for my friends, family and constituents in Parliament. And believe me, I am only saying what they are saying.”

However, voters and Chad readers were quick to respond to the column, with many critical of Mr Anderson.

Posting on your Chad’s Facebook page – fb.com/mansfieldchad – Graeme Baguely, from Mansfield, said: “You are the epitome of a bigot.”

Alison Healey said: “Never claim the majority of your constituents share your ill-informed and reprehensible views, you're giving us a bad name.”

Jamie Allsop said: “Seeking asylum is a totally legal process and therefore they are not illegal immigrants.

“If he can't understand that simple fact, what chance has he got of understanding something with an iota of complexity?”

And Ginny Lawrence posted: “Silent majority is quite a loaded term. It allows them to normalise the hate directed at a group, because they believe themselves to be victims of suppression.”

However, some residents supported Mr Anderson’s comments.

Phillip Thorne, from Sutton, posted: “It had to be said.”

While another reader wrote: “We need to start standing up for our rights.”